Coming Together Again
by MiraculousDemiHunters
Summary: Post Mockingjay, pre-epilogue. This is the story of how Katniss and Peeta come together again. Will they ever be allowed to live a happy life? What's going to become of them? There are many ups and downs, but together they will get through it. Or will they? Eventual Epilogue to come later.
1. Returning home

**A/N** Hey guys! This is my first story so I hope you like it! This story will be in Katniss's perspective and in Peeta's.

**Peeta**

It's been a while since I've seen Katniss. She and Haymitch were sent back home about a month ago. I've been kept here because, well, let's face it. I need more help than this -or any- doctor can offer.

I mean, he's pretty good. But all he does is ask me how I'm feeling and if I think there can be a future between me and Katniss. All I did to answer those questions was shake my head or nod. I sometimes make a noise. But after all I just went through, with the hijacking and all, I still can't get her out of my mind. She's all I ever think of.

"Katniss." I say in a weak voice. It's been a while since I've spoken. Obviously.

"Ah yes Peeta." Says Dr. Aurelius. "How do you feel about her?" He asks for the thousandth time.

I have to think for a moment. I really want to say that I miss her, I want to see her, and I might still love her. Not that I ever stopped, not even when the capital hijacked me. I may have wanted to kill her, something I still hate myself for, but deep down there will always be a spot for her. I mean who else can I love? Haymitch is...Haymitch, and most of my friends are dead except Delly. My whole family is dead because of…

I feel a flashback coming on, so I grip the sides of the chair I'm sitting on as the venom surges through my veins.

"Peeta?" I hear Dr. Aurelius calling me.

"She didn't do it. She didn't do it..." I murmur trying to convince myself that she didn't do it.

"Peeta are you okay?"

"I'm f-fine." I lie. I'm everything but fine.

_She killed your family Peeta._

"N-No she didn't. Snow did"

_That's just what she wants you to believe Peeta. She killed your family. She doesn't love you she never did. She was just pretending the whole time! She really loves gale!_

"NO SHE DOESN'T" I scream at the voice in my head.

_Oh Peeta. She's a no good dirty little unloving mutt._

"Mutt." I say the word, testing how it feels to say it.

"Mutt." Somewhere in my brain I know she's not a mutt. But the voice in my head is starting to convince me as the tracker jacker venom takes over.

"Mutt. SHE'S A STINKING MUTT! SHE KILLED MY FAMILY! SHE KILLED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE!"

That's the last thing I get out before I needle gets stuck in my arm and I pass out.

I wake up in a hospital bed. Great. One of the many places I hate being. Dr. Aurelius come in the room.

"Peeta. Glad to see you've awoken."

"Wha-What happened?"

"You had a flashback." He answers.

"Was it bad?"

"It depends on what you think 'bad' is."

"Did it have to do with Katniss?"

"All of your flashbacks have to do with Katniss, Peeta. That's why you were hijacked after all."

"Oh…" Is all I say. I wonder how Katniss is doing. Knowing her, she must be having nightmares every night. And I want to be there to comfort her. To tell her I'm there for her. I mean my nightmares are awful and im in a confined space. While Katniss is in the district with piles of ash and memories of her sister...

"When can I see her, Dr.?"

"Peeta you are not in the condition to be seeing Katniss right now! What if you have a fl-"

"Look, I know I'm asking for the world right now, but I want to see her. I want to know if she's okay, and I want to comfort her. We can help each other. Plus keeping me locked up in this hospital isn't going to do you, me or these doctors any good. You might as well let me see her."

"Hmmph. I guess you do make a valid point there. Plus your progress with your hijackings has been tremendous. You haven't had very many. I guess I could let you go. But when you do, tell Katniss I can't keep pretending I'm treating her forever. She needs to pick up the phone!"

With that I smile. I'm finally going to be able to see Katniss!


	2. Seeing Katniss

**Four days later**

**Peeta**

I finally get back to district twelve. I had to wait a sew days to make sure I was ready to go, but all that matters is that I'm here now. There are still piles of ashes lying around, but the construction has started already. I get back to my house just as I start to hear geese. I turn around and I see Haymitch yelling and chasing the geese around.

"No flipping way…"

"Get! Get back in this pen you dumb geese! Whose god awful idea was it to keep these geese anyway?"

Finally, he gives up and flops on the ground in defeat.

I decide to walk over there and see how he's doing

"You alright?" I say, reaching out my hand to help him up.

"Ah boy! Fancy seeing you here! Did uh…Katniss see you yet?" He asks.

I sigh. Does it always have to come back to Katniss? I barely said two words to him and we're already talking about her.

"Hmm, no. I just got in." I say

"From where?"

"The capital. Duh. They wouldn't let me leave 'till now."

"I'm surprised they let you leave at all. No offense."

"None taken. I know how much help I need."

"Listen, boy. Do you know where you are now?"

"Uh, yeah I'm in your backyard."

"No! I mean just think of where you were before all of this. Just the boy with the bread. Now you're free from the capital. You survived two games and a war. From all you went through, it's perfectly fine to need healing."

Aww, Haymitch turned soft for about a second. That's a record.

I think about what he said. I already knew I need healing. But what comes to my mind is how Katniss is healing.

"How is Katniss doing?"

Haymitch looks a little embarrassed.

Two seconds, that beats the old record

"Actually, I don't know."

"I thought you were sent here to look after her"

"I know, but Sae has been doing a damn fine job with keeping up with her. But I just wanted to give her some space 'ya know? You know how Katniss can be sometimes."

That's true. I _do_ know how Katniss can be.

"Okay. Well if you're not going to check on her, I will."

"Whatever, boy. Just don't rush things okay."

_"Don't rush things?_ What does he think I mean by I'm going to check on her? I'm going to walk in her house, lift her off her feet and kiss her? Even though I really would like to, I know Katniss doesn't know how she feels about me. She never has, anyway."

"She will come around."

"What?"

I just realized I said all of that out loud. Oops!

"I said she will realize she can't live without 'ya boy!"

"Oh. Well, see you later Haymitch."

"Whatever."

I already know what is causing Katniss's distress. The fact that prim died. She was her pride and joy. She sacrificed herself just to save her from dying, and she died anyway. I can say I knew her well, from all of the times I was at Katniss's house, or teaching her to bake. She was so young and so sweet and fragile. Like Rue…

All of a sudden I find myself running toward district twelve's fence. I get some very odd looks, but nothing I haven't seen before. I find a hole and walk in. not that's it's very hard, there are holes everywhere. It's beautiful in here. No wonder Katniss loves the woods so much.

I decide to plant some bushes on the side of Katniss's house. I never really thought about Prim, or given her a remembrance like I did with Rue, when I painted that picture during the quell.

I borrow a wheel barrow and pick five primrose bushes. I remember Katniss showing them to me when I went over to her house to bake with Prim. I wheel them back to Katniss's house. As I begin digging, my face gets a little flustered and I become a little sweaty. All of a sudden I hear Katniss screaming from a nightmare. It takes every ounce in my body to stop myself from running in there.

_No Peeta! You heard what Haymitch said. Give her some space_ I get lost in the digging when I hear someone open the door. Sae? No it's Katniss. She says in a weak voice, "your back." It was probably her first time speaking in a while.

"The doctor wouldn't let me leave the capital until yesterday," I say. I remember what he told me. "By the way, he said to tell you he can't keep pretending he's treating you forever. You have to pick up the phone."

I feel her taking me in. she looks…defeated. I've never know her to back down from a fight, and right now, she's fighting to get out of grief.

She's losing.

I at least tried to make my self look presentable. Katniss's clothes are wrinkled and her skin is just like mine, thin and covered in burn scars. I feel myself frowning as I take her in. She makes a half-hearted attempt to push her hair out of her eyes, where she realizes that it is matted I clumps.

She still looks beautiful as ever.

"What are you doing?"

"I went to the woods this morning and dug these up. For her," I say, referencing Prim. "I thought we could plant them along the side of the house."

She looks like she is about to scream when a flicker of emotions come across her face. She gives a curt nod, and then leaves me alone to continue digging. I try to take in what I just saw. She looked lost and unsure, and she made no effort to hide it. That's no like her at all. She is still healing.

After I finish, I decide to head back home. There is nothing left to do here. I start to paint what her house looked like, after i finished planting the primroses. i paint for a few more hours, some of them are plants some are places, but most of them are Katniss. I can't get her out of my head no matter how hard i try. I sigh. It's 9:00 before I finally stop painting and go to bed. Tonight, i dream about Katniss. No surprise there.

**A/N ****Wow! That was a pretty nice chapter if you ask me! I'm going to update the soonest would be two days so stay tuned!**


	3. Moving too fast

**A/N ****Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I know i said the earliest i would update would be in two days, but this is a Christmas eve special!**

* * *

**Peeta**

After seeing Katniss yesterday, I decide to go and see Haymitch. I know he told me not to rush things, and to leave her alone, but to be honest I just want things to go back to the way they were before the quell.

How Katniss and I would work on her plant book everyday, and it would take out minds off what was going on in our complicated lives. I guess you could say I miss the old days, where I still had Katniss right by my side, before out homes were set ablaze by Snow.

But I know that things will never be that way again. I guess there is still a little ray of hope in me. That maybe, just maybe, Katniss and I can be reunited again.

I mean we did it before. After the first games, when I thought she didn't love me. Then on our victory tour we became friends. Then we reconnected at the quell. So maybe it is possible.

I walk the short distance to Haymitch's house. It feels weird to walk here again after all of the times I have walked down this road. After the first games, when I saw Haymitch all wet after Katniss dumped water on him. I smile at the thought.

And then when I wanted to save Katniss and spare myself after I found out about the quell.

_Old memories,_ I think in my head.

I arrive at Haymitch's house and knock on the door. After he doesn't answer I decide to walk in. When I arrive in the kitchen I see him…what? Eating soup? Not passed out?

"Haymitch are you all right?"

"Yes I'm fine. Why?"

"Well for starters your clothes are kind of clean, and your not passed out!"

"Ah, well I'm waiting for the new shipment of bottles to come in so I'm just raising the geese."

"Oh. Okay. That makes a lot more sense."

"You got a reason for coming here boy?"

I sigh. It's now or never.

"Yeah. Um, listen."

"I'm listening."

"I know you said to leave Katniss alone to 'heal', but I just want to see her! To know if she is alright, to hold her and t-to kiss her…"

"I knew you would say this. I know you better than you know yourself, eh boy?"

"Maybe it is true, Haymitch. But telling me to stay away is not going to help me stay away. And how do you expect her to heal without me? You saw how she was. You know how bad the nightmares can get."

"Alright boy. You can see her. But no kissing yet! Unless you know, she wants to."

At this I smile and blush. The thought of kissing Katniss is an amazing feeling, but will Katniss want to kiss? Is she still hung over prim? Does she even still love me?

_Of course she love you Peeta._ I think._ She always has right?_

But sometimes I don't know if she loves me. I don't even know if she wants to see me.

"So, uh, can I see her right now?" I ask.

"Whatever. Just remember what I said. What I say has gotten you this far in the game. No need to stop listening now." With that he smirks.

"Go on kid. Go get her."

At that I race out of the house, but start walking like I have some sense in me. I get to her door and hesitate a little before I knock. When I do, Sae opens up the door.

"Oh, what a wonderful surprise! Hello Peeta!

I'm guessing you're here to see Katniss?"

"Oh yes. Is she here?"

"Oh I'm afraid she has gone hunting! But don't worry; She'll be back in a few. Come on in."

I walk in behind Sae and sit on her couch as I wait for her to come home. A little while later Sae comes and sits next to me.

"You know you've been good for her."

"What? How?"

"Well she hasn't left this house since you came! And now she's huntin' and brushing her hair too, and lookin' nice! All for you!"

"For me?" I ask confused.

"Yes boy. You have no idea what you have done for her."

"Ha yes. Literally."

"Ah. Here she comes now!" Sae gets up and goes back to the kitchen. That was the happiest I have ever seen her.

"Katniss! You've got a visitor!"

"It better not be Haymitch! He hasn't bothered to check on me at all!" Katniss says.

_So she knows._ I think.

When she walks in she stops dead in her tracks.

"Peeta."

**Katniss**

I don't really know who else I expected to be there. I mean, who else would bother coming to my house and waiting for me? Only Peeta. Why would he be here?

My insides get all tingly, but I don't know why. I have not seen Peeta since that day he was planting those bushes. And i still don't know how i feel about him!

"Katniss!" he says with a smile.

"Um hello Peeta. How are you doing?"

I say so casually I'm not even sure if it was me who said it.

"Well um, I came to see you! And uh, I guess you could say I'm…"

He hesitates before he answers.

"I'm still healing.

"Aren't we all? I mean is still can't get over…her."

Suddenly tears come to my eyes. I walk over to the couch and sit down. All I can think about is Prim. Not that I have ever stopped thinking about her.

I desperately want Peeta to hold me in his strong arms again, but I know that Peeta really doesn't love me anymore. I mean, who could love this?

_Of course Peeta loves you. He wanted to sacrifice his life to save you. _I think.

_Well so did I! And I loved him then I guess… but that's just how Peeta is! He would sacrifice his life to save Haymitch! He doesn't love me! No one does. My mom abandoned me twice! Prim is gone. Gale is gone. Everyone I ever loved is gone so I can't love Peeta. Because even if he loved me, he would be gone just like everyone else I loved._

"Katniss? Are you okay?" I hear Peeta calling.

"Y-yeah."

"Come on Katniss. Do you take me as a fool?"

"Do you really want an answer?" I joke. It's funny how I can joke at a time like this.

He smiles. And I find me self staring at Peeta. He sure is a looker. He said he noticed every girl but never went for them because of me. And those blue eyes…

Suddenly I feel myself leaning in, and so is Peeta. Just as I am about to touch his lips, and feel the feeling I have been missing for months, he pulls away.

"I- I'm sorry Katniss. I just can't." he says and looks away.

"Is it because you don't love me?"

"Wha-What?" He asks stunned. "How could you ever say that? You know I have always loved you. I never stopped. Even when you didn't love me."

I cringe at that.

"I loved you Peeta. I just didn't want to say so because I thought when you were hijacked, you didn't love me."

"You know that's not true. Snow did not succeed when he tried to make me hate you. He didn't win at all. Look at where he is now. Dead."

"Like all our friends and family. Maybe he did win. And we were just too stupid to realize it."

"He did not win. He tried to take you away from me. He tried to take me away from you. And look how great that turned out. I'm sitting on your couch about to kiss you." He smirks.

"And by the way, I couldn't kiss you because Haymitch told me not to rush things with you. Unless you know, you wanted it."

"Well Peeta Mellark, maybe I do want it." I say as I lean in again. And this time, my lips reach his.


	4. A broken heart

**A/N****Thank you out savior ****_smithtk_**** for telling me that this chapter was messed up. Hahaha, I honestly have no idea how that happened, but I fixed it. As you can obviously see, gosh I'm kinds slow today. But it is 12:59 and I haven't even looked it over for mistakes yet, gosh, but it's a good thing I consider 12:00 early. I Hope it doesn't happen again because this took a little while**

What just happened between me and Katniss wasn't a dream was it? I mean I just talked to her for the second time in a long time and I had already kissed her?

Okay. So I didn't listen to Haymitch. At all. I basically disobeyed every single thing he said. Not to rush things, which I did. Not to kiss her. Which I did. It was just one kiss, I mean, right? Plus Katniss obviously wanted it. Point blank. And it was an amazing kiss. Sure, it felt like all of the other kisses we had exchanged, but with a twist of...love and confusion. Like the other kisses... except with no love except for a few.

Knowing Katniss, that will probably never happen again. It was just a one time thing. But it felt, well, good. Good to know that Katniss does love me. That she knows I love her.

But how could she think that I didn't love her? She must have known even hijacked that I loved her. Plus during the journey to Snows mansion, she did kiss me, after I refused to go on after Finnick was blown to bits and and I was having a flash back. I mean just because I tried to kill her twice, gave her the cold shoulder after I was hijacked, was very jealous of her and Gale, and tried to kill myself I didn't love her anymore?

Whoa, I think.

That's a lot worse than I thought. I sit down on my couch to think about it. I must have scared the living hell out of her. I mean, she never did things that bad to me. I was a monster!

She only acted like she didn't love me, kissed Gale four times, tried to sacrifice herself for me even when she knew that's what I was doing, tried to kill me when she found out about the rebels plan on the hovercraft, which Haymitch told me thank you very much, and was so scared of me she went to another district.

I think we must be the worst couple alive. That brings back some memories. Memories that most of the couples that were standing strong, case and point Finnick and Annie's relationship, are not strong anymore, and don't even have both people. And it also reminds me that we are not a couple, no. we are… allies. That brings me back to a while ago. When we were in the capital, trying to bring them down. We were at the camp, and it was Katniss's turn to watch me.

_It was midnight. Boggs told me to sleep out in full view where the rest of the squad could keep an eye on me. I knew why, too. So I didn't go berserk and try to kill someone. Or myself, for that matter. I wasn't sleeping, though. Instead, I sat with my bag pulled up to my chest, clumsily trying to make knots in a short length of rope that Finnick gave me._

_I couldn't sleep. I could only think about why coin sent me here. To kill…her. I came here to either be killed, or to keep an eye on Katniss. I had no intention to kill Her. Even though I had tried. I shudder at the thought. I know some part of me hates her, but I've been getting better about that._

_It was the hijacking Peeta. I try to tell myself. I still have my doubts._

_So I just laid there. With the sounds of soldiers' breathing filling the night._

_I begin to think about how Katniss loved me, didn't love me, thought she loved me. Really did love me. In the first games, when she tried to kill me by dropping the nest full of Tracker Jackers. Then she saved me by finding and taking care of me. Then she tried to save me in the quell. Then she tried to kill me on the hovercraft to put me out of my misery, which I was not on._

_I decide to say what I had been thinking out loud. "These last couple of years must have been exhausting for you. Trying to decide whether to kill me or not. Back and forth. Back and forth."_

_I can see her about to say something cutting and insulting for sure, which is just like her. But then her expression softens._

_I never wanted to kill you. Except when I thought you were helping the Careers kill me. After that, I always thought of you as...an ally." That's an… interesting word. Empty of any emotional obligation, and Possible love, but non threatening._

_"Ally." I say the word slowly, tasting it. Suddenly all of the other words I have heard about her flash through my head._

_"Friend. Lover. Victor. Enemy. Fiancée. Target. Mutt. Neighbor. Hunter. Tribute. Ally. I'll add it to the list of words I use to try to figure you out."_

_I say that as I weave the rope in and out of my fingers. It's hard to tell if people are being real or fake, with all these shiny images flashing through my mind. "The problem is, I can't tell what's real anymore, and what's made up."_

_Finnick's voice rises from a bundle in the shadows. "Then you should ask, Peeta. That's what Annie does."_

_I want to mention that I'm not crazy, but I know I can no longer make that argument. I am a nutcase and a danger to those around me, and I know it._

_"Ask who?" I say. "Who can I trust?" After those tapes from the Capitol and district 13, who can I trust? How can I know they are telling the truth and not lying to protect me?_

_"Well, us for starters. We're your squad," says Jackson._

_"You're my guards," I point out. They are there to keep me in check. I've had enough of guards for a lifetime._

_"That too," she says. "But you saved a lot of lives in Thirteen. It's not the kind of thing we forget."_

_"That was nothing, telling them that they were going to be blown to bits. Plus, that was the biggest mistake I have ever made. That's when the capital started to hijack me. I'm pretty _

_sure they had plans to do that before anyway, but I'm glad I saved lives, especially one in particular._

_I start to think about Katniss, seeming as I can never get her out of my mind. I think about the tour, how she ran out after screaming at Effie. I remember her telling me her favorite color is green, because I painted different shades of it every night with paints that Katniss stole for me._

_I turn to Katniss again. "Your favorite color...it's green?"_

_"That's right. And yours is orange."_

_"Orange?" I say unconvinced. I don't remember saying this._

_"Not bright orange. But soft. Like the sunset," she says. "At least, that's what you told me once."_

_"Oh." I close my eyes briefly, trying to conjure up that sunset, trying to remember that memory. Then I nod my head. Remembering this being said._

_"Thank you." I say, Really meaning it._

_But more words tumble out from her._

_"You're a painter. You're a baker. You like to sleep with the windows open. You never take sugar in your tea. And you always double-knot your shoelaces." She tells me than dives back into her tent_

Ah, more memories.

I get up, deciding to tell Haymitch all about what just happened between me and Katniss. It's weird how much I confide in him now.

I take the short trip there and walk straight in, knowing his liquor hasn't come yet. I see him watching his television set. Well the television is on with some opera singing show, but he is passed out.

I He doesn't even need liquor to pass out.

"Hey Haymitch!" I yell. He doesn't budge. I shake him. Still nothing. I really don't want to do this, but if it will wake him up then I will.

I go and fill a basin with icy cold water and just as I am about to pour it on his head he snaps awake.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Sorry. I couldn't shake you awake."

"Don't become the next Katniss, Peeta."

"I sigh.

"Speaking of Katniss…"

"What happened? She's pregnant isn't she?"

"W-What? No why would you think that! We haven't slept in the same bed in months! And it was only to ward away nightmares anyway."

"Yeah okay. So why are you here, for the second time today, at that?"

"Well, I uh, kissed Katniss."/p  
p style="max-height: 999999px; font-family: Verdana, Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px;""Oh course you did." He sighs. "Listen. The reason I told you not to kiss her, or to rush her, which you did! It's bec-"

"Wait a minute!" I cut in. "I didn't rush her! She was staring at me, then she looked in my eyes and she leaned in. then I told her I couldn't do it because of what you said!" I say.

"Then we went into detail about how she thought I didn't love her, and how I thought she didn't love me, and how she was just afraid, then I told her what you said, about not kissing her unless she wanted it, and she said, and I quote, 'well Peeta Mellark, maybe I do want it' and then she leaned in and kissed me. And let me say that Sae said that me coming back has changed her. Until I came she didn't even leave her house!" I argue.

"Let's face it Haymitch. Keeping us apart isn't going to do us very good. Plus, I'm pretty sure that was just a one time thing. I mean you know how Katniss can be." I say with a smirk.

"Oh what am I going to do with you kids?" Haymitch says.

"You can let us be."

"Yeah. I'm going to let you two be. Ha you're funny Peeta. Real funny." With that he leaves the room. I decide to leave his house.

"On the walk home, I see Katniss on her way somewhere, so I run to catch up with her.

"Hey," I say.

"Hey," She replies.

"So, uh, where ya' headed?"

"Into the great unknown." She jokes. "I'm actually going to give some meat to Sae, as a thank you."

"Oh. Mind if I head along?"

"No. I don't mind at all, Peeta."

"She starts to look into my eyes.

Here we go again, I think.

"What are you thinking about?"

"you."

"Listen Peeta." She starts

"About earlier…I'm sorry if I made you confused. But I don't know what came over me." She sighs then looks away.

"What- no it's alright Katniss. We were just caught up in the moment."

"It's just that, well I feel like were rushing things. I mean I've barely spoken to you and now were kissing? I feel a little weird kissing you. Maybe we can get to know each other a little bit better, then maybe start kissing?"

When she says this it breaks my heart. I can litteraly feel it shatter intoa million pieces. But even though I knew this would happen, I had hoped it wouldn't. I guess history really does repeat itself. And she said we can get to know each other better then we can kiss. Maybe. She never said we would never kiss again. I put all my thoughts behind me and answer her.

"Yeah um, I think that would be best." I try to say confidently but my voice catches at the end.

"Katniss turns away from me, but before she does I see her tears. I turn to her and look her in the eyes.

"What's wrong?" I say as I rest my hand on her cheek. she puts her hand on mine.

"I just feel like I keep breaking your heart time after time. I broke you heart so many times I can't count them on one hand!" she exclaims.

"Katniss, you didn't break my heart. This is what's best for us.

"Oh Peeta. I know you don't want us to be 'just friends'."

"She's right I don't. But I will go along with it, I guess.

"Okay, so maybe I don't, but I will for your sake. I just don't want to lose you again."

"Again?"

"Yeah. Like how I did that night of the quell. When we let the others separate us. Surely you remember that."

"I do. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. No pulling out those berries was."

"Katniss don't be silly. If you had never pulled out those berries, we wouldn't be here!"

"What here with thousands dead? With my mother gone? With everyone I love gone! With Prim dead?"

"No! With no Hunger games! With both of us! Free of the capital! Together! It doesn't matter what we are, or where we are. As long as we are together."

"Katniss looks up at me unbelievably.

"Wha- Peeta? I-I-"

"You love me real or not real!" I demand.

"Real." She answers. With that I smile, kiss her temples, and walk away.


	5. The idea

**A/N Hey guys! I know i said i wouldnt ****update,**** but I had already pre-written this chapter and i didn't want to wait! I'm sorry if there are alot of mistakes, i just got a tablet for christmas, and im still figuring out the keyboard and some of he fonts aren't working! And i usually use the computer but my dad is on it and i'm bursting with ideas! I couldn't wait to post!**

**Katniss**

I think I did a good job with Peeta. I mean, I told him how I felt. I told him my love was real. And it's true. I really do love him. But I feel much better knowing that I didn't break his heart. This time, at least. It just came out of no where though. Him asking me if I loved him? If my love was real? I can see where his doubts came from. But I had already told him I loved him from earlier that day. Why would he need to hear it again?

I decide to let the thought drift off as I get ready for the day. I get up and take a long shower to think about what i want to do for the rest of the day. And it's a good time waster. After that I brush my hair and braid it in my very familiar and reconizable braid. After I get dressed I look in the mirror. I look like myself. A girl who went through so much, suffered so much, was not aloud to have happiness, but is still holding on.

Not without Peeta. I think. I could never hold on without him. I mean think about what ilooked like before he came. And look at me now. free as a bird. Plus Even though I love him, i'm not ready to start a relationship with him. And i'm pretty sure he knows that. I feel like he knows me better than I know myself. well maybe not. He dosn't know the girl that I was during my fathers death, the girl that I was after my fathers death, or the girl I was in the woods. no, not the girl I was. the girl I am. I feel...proud. That's new. I stop looking in the mirror to go get my arrows and my beloved bow. Then i set out for the woods. I can't help wondering what Peeta is doing and thinking.

**Peeta**

I can't stop thinking about last night. I can't stop thinking about how Katniss really loves me. She wasn't just saying it. I just need to be sure she loved me. Because I was having a minor flashback but after she said 'real' it just went away. And after what she hit me with last night, I wasn't to sure. I remember it like it was yesterday. Because it was yesterday. And I could ever foreget it even if I tried. Not like i ever would.

S_he starts to look into my eyes._

_Here we go again. I think._

_"What are you thinking about?"_

_"you."_

_"Listen Peeta." She starts_

_"About earlier…I'm sorry if I made you confused. But I don't know what came over me." She sighs then looks away._

_"What- no it's alright Katniss. We were just caught up in the moment."_

_"It's just that, well I feel like were rushing things. I mean I've barely spoken to you and now were kissing? I feel a little weird kissing you. Maybe we can get to know each other a little bit better, then maybe start kissing?"_

_When she says this it breaks my heart. But I knew this would happen. And she said we can get to know each other better then we can kiss. Maybe. She never said we would never kiss again. I put all my thoughts behind me and answer her._

_"Yeah um, I think that would be best." I try to say confidently but my voice catches at the end._

_Katniss turns away from me, but before she does I see her tears. I turn to her and look her in the eyes._

_"What's wrong?" i say as i rest my hand on her cheek. she puts her hand on mine._

_"I just feel like I keep breaking your heart time after time. I broke you heart so many times I can't even count them on my fingers!" she exclaims.'_

_"Katniss, you didn't break my heart. This is what's best for us."_

_"Oh Peeta. I know you don't want us to be 'just friends'."_

_She's right I don't. But I will go along with it, I guess._

_"Okay, so maybe I don't, but I will for your sake. I just don't want to lose you again."_

_"Again?"_

That was hard to get over when I heard the first part. But when she told me she loved me, I was done doubting her. And just like I told Haymitch, she will never know how she really feels about me. She loves me, but not in a boyfriend/girlfriend way? She only loves me as a friend?

"Yeah. Like how I did that night of the quell. When we let them separate us. Surly you remember that."

"I do. That was the biggest mistake I have ever made. No pulling out those berries was."

"Katniss don't be silly. If you had never pulled out those berries, we wouldn't be here!"

"What here with thousands dead? With my mother gone? With everyone I love gone! With Prim dead?"

"Katniss it isn't what you think."

"What? Oh, so my mother is here in twelve? Prim is alive? Those thousands that died during the war are with their wife and children, who have been missing them for months now?"

"No Katniss! With no Hunger games! With both of us alive! Free of the capital! Together! It doesn't matter what we are, or where we are. As long as we are together."

Katniss looks up at me unbelievably.

"You love me. Real or not real?" I ask, grabbing her hands and tangle them in mine.

"Wha- Peeta? I-I-"

"You love me real or not real!" I demand.

"Real." She answers. With that I smile, kiss her temples, and walk away.

That was a very good day. I got told by Katniss that she loved me twice, I got to kiss her, and I made Haymitch mad! All in a days work!

To kill time I decide to start to bake. I get all of my ingrediants out and start baking. in a little while my house starts to smell like a bakery. Ah, how I miss my old bakery. Waking up everyday to the smell of baked bread, cookies, and pastries. I really want to re open the bakery, but with all of the othr constructions going on they won't have time for me.

I decide to go get some items from the new store they set up near the hob. I also decide to pick up Katniss on my way there. Knowing her, she must have went hunting. But she should be back by now. So I go up to her house and knock on the door. Almost immediately she comes to the door.

"Hey Peeta!"

"Katniss."

"So what brings you here?"

"well I was wondering if you would like to come with me to go to the new store new near the Hob?"

"I didn't know they made a store."

"Because you only eat cheese buns and meat."

"True. Let me grab my coat then we can go."

And with that we are off.

On the way there, I try to strike up a conversation.

"So uh, how are you doing ?"

"I'm pretty good. But i'm still healing." She says.

"You?"

"Well I want to start the bakery back up."

"That's an amazing idea. So why don't you?

"Because there are too many things already being re built."

"You don't understand Peeta. You were part of the freeing of Panem. You could ask for the moon and they would have to find some way to give it to you."

Suddenly she clamps her hands over her mouth.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?

"It just that was something Gale said to me in Thirteen. When we were in the supply cabinet after watching your first intrveiw.

I feel a flashback coming on but i need to hold it down, for Katniss's sake. And hold it down I do. I am getting better at this, just like said.

"I just with I could remember all ofthe people who have exited my life in the past moths.

"Just like me. it's just that there are too many people to remember, too many people that I have forgoten who have died for us. Except some of them stick in my mind." Like Cato, or Finnick.

"I know. I just wish there was a way to remember them, like i remember those plants in the plant book."

I start to get and idea about how we can remember them.

"So why don't we start a book to remember them? just Like with the plant book!"

"Oh, Peeta thats a wonderful idea!"

"Thanks." I say with a smirk.

And we waste no time getting to work.


	6. Underestimated

**A/N**** Hey guys! I just want to let you know I will be postisting every two days! Love the reveiws!**

**Peeta**

After Katniss and I order all of the stuff for the book,I go home. I decide to take a visit to the old Bakery. I walk to the little ash that is left and thats when I see it. My family photo. I have no idea how this survived the fire. When I saw the Bakery in the video the rebels shot, I didn't see thought makes me sit next sit the ash piles,with my hands in my face as the tears begin to come in hard and fast.

I haven't had time to grieve my family, as I was trying to stay strong for Katniss. But now is the time to grieve. I sit there,and cry until I have the courage to lookup when I hear someone call my name. When I do, I see many people whatching and staring at me as Katniss call my name again and then looks at the crowd.

"What? You've never seen someone cry ovr the loss of one person? Well guess what! He lost his whole freaking family! Four people! So stare all you want! Just know that this boy is strong. To be able to just cry when he lost his whole family? If I lost my mother I Would run into the woods and never come back. She is all I have you can count on it." Katniss says as she runs over to me.

"Are you okay?"

"The question is are you okay? That was some speech."

"Well it's true. I only lost Prim. You lost everyone."

"You lost your father too." I point out. "And I didn't lose you."

Katniss smiles at this.

"Yeah. You didn't. And you never will. now will you stay with me?"

"Always."

Her smile widens as she leans in and kisses me on the lips. She tastes sweet, like cheese buns. I smile when she pulls back.

"What happened to 'moving too fast'."

"It went away. I love you. I really do. I don't know what I would do if I lost you. I would go crazy. Not having you around to comfort me. You saw how I was when you were gone."

"Well i am here now. And trust me, I have no intention of leaving you."

"Hey Peeta," Katniss says. "You love me. Real or not real?"

I Smile and kiss her softly. "Real. Realer than you could ever know. I love you so much Girl on fire."

I say using the old term.

"I love you too, boy with the bread. You know what fire plus bread equals? Toast!"

She smiles and I can't help is so funny at times. I look up at her eyes. Nice and grey, With those seam eyes. She leans in for one more kiss, and she stays there for a long time. It gets so long that we begin to hear whistles and someone shouts "Good job!" We both blush, as we forgot they were there.

We stand up and head home. I have had enough sorrow for one day. I will come back when I can stay in one whole peice. For now I will just draw blue prints for the new Bakery. Peeta's Bakery. No, Peeta and Katniss's Bakery. I like the idea. Katniss talking takes me back to our world.

"So why were you at the bakery?"

"Well Ijust wanted to grieve ya' know?"

"Yeah I do. I'm so sorry Peeta."

"It wasn't your fault, Katniss."

"Well hijacked you doesn't seem to think so."

I instantly know what she means. How back in Thirteen I called her a mutt and said the fire was her fault. I must have had a really hurt look on my face because she tries to make it sound less hurtful.

"I'm sorry Peeta. I didn't mean it like that!"

"No. It's alright. You are right after all."

"No it's not alright! I am the one who caused all of this! If I had just died in the first games Your family would be alive, this district would not need to be rebuilt! I caused all of this Peeta! I caused thousands to die! All of the sorrow people are feeling is because of me."

"Do we need to go over this again Katniss? All of the building is worth it! The people died so we don't have to go to the games, so we can live a life, and not have little kids dropping dead from hunger! You changed Panem, whether you want to admit it or not. Without you the rebellion would have never happned. And we wouldn't be together now."

"The boy does have a point sweetheart." Haymitsh says as he comes over.

"Without you we would still be livng in poverty. We would be under capital rule. Most people say that you were just the face, And everyone else was doing the work, but truth be told we would never have had the chance to start and uprising with out your defiance of the capital with those berries. Don't ever under estimate yourself."

Haymitch says as he walks away taking a swig from his bottle.

"Crazy man." Katniss mutters.

"No he's right. Relax, you've earned it."

"By killing kids!"

"Katniss you didn't kill that many kids."

"That many? Let's see I killed Glimmer and that girl from four with the bees, I shot Marvel, I killed Cato, and in the second games I killed Gloss. All careers! And let's not forget the good ole' war! I killed Coin with that arrow, I killed that capital lady during the war, and I might as well have killed Finnick! I was the one who threw the holo when the mutt was about to rip his head off!

All of sudden all I can see is Katniss throwing the holo, killing Finnick.

"Peeta? Peeta!" I hear Katniss calling my name, but she sounds so far away. Like she is in another world. The venom takes over my whole body and I can't control my self anymore.

"Your a ,mutt! You killed Finick and all of those poor kids! Your MUTT! How could you?You killed all of those people during the killed my family! MUTT!"

"No Peeta I didn't! It's not real! I didn't It was snow! You know that." Please come back to me! Stay with me."

I feel her touch my hand. I push it away and take off running. To where I don't know. I can't do anything but let the venom take over my body as I run past the crowd that is still there, past the bakery, and to the fence surrounding twelve. I her Katniss calling my name.

"Peeta! Not real it's not real! I'm sorry!" She yells to me.

"What are you still staring at! He is hijacked! You have no idea what he is going through you stupid-"

"Whats going on? Haymitch yells.

"I don't know! Peeta had a flashback and then he ran away. He went to the fence I think."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because this dumb crowd!" I hear foot steps coming in my dirction as I run into the woods by finding a hole.

"Haymitch we need to stop him! This is wild dog season! They will kill him with his leg! Stay here while I get my bow." I turn around and see Katniss sprinting with alot of speed.

_Wow she must care if she is going that fast._ I think.

_She does not Peeta! She is just very eger to kill you. So she can win. She killed your hole family. Now all that is left is you! _The voice in my head screams.

I turn around and see three wild dogs in front of me. I see their sharp teeth and freak out.

"Katniss You might want to hurry!" Haymitch yells as Katniss runs back to us.

"Shh. Don't move they won't move if you don't."

She arms he bow with two arrows and I know she is trying to kill me. I run toward her to knock her down before she kills me when Haymitch grabs me with alot of strength as the wild dogs start coming. More of them come out of nowhere. Katniss is now very alert as she turns into Katniss Everdeen the hunter. She gets hits in eyes, throats and hearts as they all drop dead. There is one huge one that comes straight at her. She is out of arrows. Suddenly I snap out of my hijacking state and run over to her with all my strength and jump in front of her as the wild dog is about to jump on her. Instead it jumps on me. Thats the last thing I remember before I blackout.

"What happened?" I ask as I sit up in my hospital bed.

"You saved my life. If that wild dog would have jumped on me, it would rip appart my frail body. But since you are very strong and tall, the wild dog only got to you stomach, and then i got my knife out and stabbed it."

"How did I get out there?"

"Well you were having a full blown flashback and you ran out there. Haymitch and I followed you and then the wild dogs came. I killed them all then ran out of arrows."

"I am so sorry Katniss."

"Sorry for what, Peeta? For showing me that even when you are hijacked you would still give your life for me? I love you so much."

"I love you too."

A doctor comes in the room and tells me that I am free to go.

"What do you want to do?"

"Right now I just want to rest."

She walks me up to my room, where i fall aslep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

**A/N**** I didn't even have any idea what I would write for this chapter! I just kept it going. I have so many ideas for this story so stay tuned.**


	7. Peeta's past and jealousy's future

**A/N Hey guys! So I know I said I would post every two days, but I have been getting some writers block and I realized that I might need a little more than two days...Please forgive me!**

**Katniss**

I have been thinking about what happend with Peeta last night. It all kinda makes sense, with him having a flashback and all. But the thing that doesn't make sense is why he would run to the district twelve fence.

_Maybe he was trying to protect me. I said myself that I loved him and knew he loved me because even when he was hijacked he faught the shiny images._

"No." I try to shake the thought from my head. Of course I always knew he loved me. I didn't need some flashback to prove it. In this case, him having a flashback should have made things worse. But they didn't. Because he loves me. And I love him I think.

"No!" I scream at myself again. There should be no 'I think' about this. I know I love him, because I have told him that multiple times. I just don't know in which way I love him. At first I convinced myself that we were moving too fast, then I kissed him...Not that I didn't like it, Because it was nothing short of amazing.

I want to kiss him, and I want to love him, but I don't want him to think that I have changed my mind about getting married or having children. I have already changed my mind about loving someone again. I was afraid to love again after I lost half my family. I was afraid that if I did love again that I would lose them too.

Ugh. How could Peeta love such a broken, mentaly unstable, confused, stubborn girl? Why would he love me when he could have had a stable girl? How has he had a crush on me for almost 13 years? Usually crushes go away. But maybe it's like father like son. But maybe not in a way. His father loved my mother, but he let her get away. Maybe Peeta didn't want to make the same mistake of letting me go. And he almost did. If they had picked two other kids on reaping day and Peeta never talked to me, I either would end up all alone and angry, or Gale and I would have married.

Gale. It's been a while since we have spoken. I still blame him for...her death even though some part of me tells me I shouldn't. Another part tells me that I shouldn't refer to my dear sister as 'her' anymore. She deserves her name at least. No. She deserves more than anyone can ever give. If I could have given her my life and spared her, no not _her_, Prim, From burning up and to give her everything she deserves, I would no doubt about it. She should be living instead of me.

Yeah, Prim should have all of this. This huge house, a guy who cares so much about her, and a happy life. Not me. But I know that where ever Prim is, she is thinking the exact opposite. That I should have all of this when I shouldn't.

I fall onto the couch, crying over Prim. I curse myself to how I can cry myself out and lose all of my energy over my sister, when Peeta can loose his whole family and still be strong enough for me. Peeta. Another person to add to my list of things that Prim should have instead of me. As if on cue, Peeta walks through my front door. I thought he just wanted to rest, or at least that's what he told me he wanted.

"Katniss?" He calls out. I decide not to answer, as he will find me in less than a second. He doesn't waste any time.

"Katniss are you alright?" He asks as he sits next to me on the couch. I try to hide my tears but I can never hide anything from him.

"Katniss whats wrong?"

"Why do you love me? Why did you ever? Why did you give me everything that I don't deserve?" I answer his questions with questions of my own.

"Wh-What? I Love you because No matter how hard the circumstances you always find a way. I love you because, well I can't explain it. I just love you so much, more than you think. You complete me."

"I cause you pain. And you didn't answer the other questions."

"Well let's see. Why did I ever love you? You were breath taking. Beautiful. I wanted to make you happy. I wanted to make you happy, while making myself happy, by loving you, and knowing you love me. And why did I give you all of the things that you don't think you deserve when you do? First of all because I love you. And you deserve this. You went through two Hunger Games and a rebellion. You deserve happiness."

I sigh at his answer maybe, just maybe I do deserve this. Peeta loves me. He really does. But one questions tugs at the back of my mind.

"Did you ever love any other girl?"

He sighs then takes a deep breath as if weighing his options out.

"No. I never did. Sure, I may have had some girlfriends and thought I loved them, but I never stopped thinking about you. I never gave up hope that you and I could really, truly love eachother. Like we do now."

I stop to think about this. So he had girlfriends? I wonder if he ever kissed them. Well of course he did! He's 'fricken hot! With his long blonde hair that is just curly enough to be cute, and those blue eyes...

I lean in and close the space between us. I feel his hands rub my back as I grip his cute blonde curls. All I can think about is how all of those girls hearts were crushed when they found out Peeta loved me the whole time he was with them. I get jealous as I think about how he has had girlfriends and kissed them, where as I on the other hand, have only kissed Gale and Peeta, and Peeta was is my only boyfriend.

But I am not ashamed. I was only that one seam girl who hunts illeagaly and sits with the mayor's daughter. And Peeta was the Merchant boy with alot of friends and girls noticing him. As jealousy runs through my veins, I try to think of where those girls are now. And how the guy that they thought 'loved' them is now kissing me, that one Seam girl with all of his life.

I can barely breath as Peeta kisses me like he will never see me again. But you can never be too sure...

That's the last thought I get before Haymitch bursts into the living room, seeing me and Peeta making out on the couch. We break apart, blushing and gasping trying to catch our breath as neither of us wanted to be the first one to let go.

"I'm not sure if you were getting it on or choking each other breathing like that."

Damn Haymitch and his sex jokes.

"We were doing neither, Haymitch." Peeta says as he runs his finger through his hair, seeming as I gripped it with all of my life.

"Yeah okay. That's what they all say."

"Haymitch why are you here?" I snap getting right to the much needed to get to point.

"Looks like your sex mood wore off. I blame you, Peeta."

Peeta blushes feircely while Haymitch laughs his head off as I come to his defense.

"For your information Haymitch, we were uh, um we were um..." I stutter trying to come up with an explanation with out plain out saying, 'We were kissing eachothers lips off. Perfect timing. way to ruin the moment.' What great help to Peeta I was.

"Yeah I know what you were doing. Spare me the details. I came in here to get something to drink. The train with my drinks on them are being delayed for traveling issues. Bull shit if you ask me but you got any bottles to spare? Oh and Peeta, I already checked you house."

"Wow you must be desperate."

"I am. So Sweetheart, can you hook me up?"

I roll my eyes as I go to the kitchen and look under the cabinets, where I find five bottles for Mr. Drunk ass here.

"Here." I say thrusting the bottles at Haymitch.

"Thanks. I'll be back."

"I bet you will be." I mutter knowing he will not be.

"I heard that."

"I wasn't trying to be discreet!"

"I know! Your not very good at that. You proved that today Sweetheart." He says as he closes the door behind him.

"Now where were we?" Peeta asks as I sit back down.

"Somewhere special." With that He kisses me and I can't resist grabbing his hair as I think about those girls he kissed...

* * *

**A/N So this whole chapter was in Katniss's POV (Point of veiw) because I felt like I was mainly focused on Peeta. I brought Haymitch in this one and had him crack a few jokes to spice things up. But don't worry about Katniss and Peeta, their relationship will remain simple. Things will get lemony in the next few chapters though...**


	8. New bakery and annoying Capital Women

**Peeta**

After leaving Katniss's house and going to mine, I got a call from the re-building crew and my Bakery can be built now and they need me to come by to show them my plans, and that I should head there now. I get very excited about this. Yeah, I know it's just a place to get fresh baked goods for some people, but to me it's my family's memory, and it's my future. Even if the rebelion had never happened, which I'm glad it did, I would have become a baker anyway. Baking to me is like hunting to Katniss. Or like Katniss because both Katniss and the Baking help calm me, make me use extreme concentration, and they are both something I love and have been doing since I can remember.

_Who knew Katniss had so much related to bread?_ I'd better not mention this thought to Katniss or she might cook me for dinner instead of her rabbits. Or better yet, just shoot me through the heart with an arrow. That would go much quicker. I grin at that. She would do both of those things if she didn't love me so damn much. Speaking of Katniss, I wonder if she will go with me to show the crew my designs. I really hope she does, so I can have someone to stop me from bursting open with joy as rainbows surround my face and stars dance about on my head.

I cross the lawn to her house and as I walk across the grass I can't get over how green the grass is even though no one ever watered it. I stop walking to think about if the grass is fake. I start walking again as I push the thought from my mind because if the grass was fake, how would I be planting a garden in my backyard? And how would those Primroses I planted still be alive? I stop again, because now that I think about it, no one has ever watered the grass since...well never. So how the hell is it still this green? I finally start walking again after coming to a conclusion about chemically engineered grass. It is the Capital after all. Grass that stays green for 75 years is nothing compared to what else they can do.

_Like come up with a bullshit punishment for rebelling 75 years ago._

It feels like 75 years before I finally reach Katniss's house even though it is right next to mine. I don't waste any more time as I knock on her door. No more than a second later she comes to the door like she was expecting me to come to her house. She looks beautiful in a light blue top that flows out at right above her waist with a lace back and black fitting jeans. Even dressed caual she looks beautiful as ever. She flashes me her million dollar smile, which in relality is priceless to me. Her hair is in her usual braid. Dazzling is what she is.

"-Brings you here?"

"What?" I just realized that I was so lost in thought I was no idea what the hell she just said. Damn Katniss has to be so pretty!

"I said 'what brings you here'! Were you not listening?"

"How can I listen to what your mouth is saying when the rest of you is screaming 'Gorgeous' and 'Kiss me'?"

"I don't know but I wouldn't mind that last part..."

I get what she is saying and lean in to kiss her. I get her a little peck on the lips then leave a trail of kisses on her neck and collarbone. Even though I have to be planning the Bakery, the more kisses I give her the less she complains.

"Peeta!" She play fully swats at me. "Were in publ- ooh right there."

"Where?" She points to a spot on the lower left side of her neck and I kiss that spot repeadily. I don't stop because it feels so damn good. She sighs a sigh of relief as I can almost see worries floating away from her.

"Okay Peeta I don't need any...love marks because Haymitch would kill me! Why did you come here? And I know it wasn't to make out with my neck."

Right. I had forgotten about the Bakery. But making out with her neck is fun so I'm going to need this to carry on later.

"Uh right. But don't doubt for a second that I wouldn't come over here for that reason."

"I don't. And i'm not complaining..."

"Okay well the re-building crew called me because they have enough supplies and time to rebuild the Bakery! They want me to show them my plans for it, and I want you to come with me."

"Oh that's great Peeta! Of course i'll come." A devilish grin crosses her face. "But only if you promise to kiss my neck like that again. That was...hot!"

I didn't need to be told twice.

**Katniss**

I head down to the Bakery with Peeta, and I can litterally see bright lights surrounding him. He looked so happy, no he was so happy for his parents Bakery to start up again. But this time, difference would be that his family is gone, the second floor will no longer be his home, and his sad excuse for a mother is gone. If she ever lays a hand on Peeta again, and well is alive, I would not hesitate to shoot her through the heart, or rip her heart out with my bare hands. Too bad she isn't alive. I would love to see the look on her face again after last time...

_It was a few weeks after the victory tour and Peeta had left to go to the Bakery To visit his family. I really wanted some cheese buns that day, but Peeta had ran out of them. So I went to the Bakery to see if the had any there. I walk in front of the Bakery doors only to see Peeta's mother slap him and Peeta just stand there shocked. Anger rises up inside me as I question why she would hit Peeta when he was much bigger than she was. But Peeta would never do a thing like that. _

_I let the anger control me as I angrily push the doors open and yell, "Get you 'freaking hands off him."_

_The rest of his family, including his two brothers and his father just stand there watching. I suddenly get even angrier I hop over the counter and run to his mother, grabbing her by her shoulders and pushing her from in front of Peeta and slamming her against the wall._

_"Get your hands off!" I yell at her. She looks very scared, suprisingly as she never shows any emotions hince the name 'The Witch'. I see a huge knife on the counter and as Peeta see me eyeing it he snaps out of his shocked state and come up to me. I pick up the knife and hold it in front of her throat. _

_"If you ever lay a hand on him again I will get my arrows and shoot you through your heart!" i'm about to stab the knife her through her neck when suddenly Peeta looks alarmed and grabs me by my waist pulling my away and grabs the knife from my hands as it clatters against the floor._

_"Katniss? Let go come on." Peeta is still grabbing me by my waist as he drags me out and i'm screaming at her and his brothers and father just watch._

_"I'll stab you through you fucking throat if you ever do that again!"_

That was a good memory. Her face was priceless. But she deserved it for hitting such a sweet guy like Peeta. Damn her.

"We are here Katniss!" I can hear the smile in his voice. How is it that he gets so excited over bread? I will never understand.

We reach the rebuilding and walk in. The rebuilding quarters is just a building where they discuss plans and you get permission to have something you want built here.

"Katniss! Peeta! Long time no see huh?"

What is this man talking about? He saw us two days ago! I'm about to say something sarcastic when Peeta gives me a look and responds before I can.

"Yes! It's always a plesure to see the head builder!" I can't help but think of the head peacekeeper that whipped Gale, or the old head peace keeper as I should say. No the dead peacekeeper. He was put on trial, like every other head, and he lost. No surprise there.

"If you would follow me we would love to see your designs!"

"And I would love to hear you stop sounding like Effie Trinket." I mutter under my breath

"What?" Thom asks. Damnit he heard me!

"What?" I say back. Daring him to question me.

"Okay then." Thom says eyeing me closely.

We follow him through a long hallway and stop at a door. I look up at Peeta and he looks like he is about to pee himself from joy.

A few hours later, I go outside to get some air. Or at least that's what I told them. I just needed to get away from all those.._.people_. Plus Peeta wasn't playing any attention to me, so he probally didn't even know I was gone. I exit the building and feel the much needed sunlight hit my face. I smile at the light, then go bck to a scowl when I hear sombody call my name.

"Katniss? Katniss Everdeen? Oh..my..god! It's the mockingjay! Lavina Will never beleive this!"

I turn at the voice and see a young Capital women, in her early twenties. She has that silly Capital accent and neon purple hair with a tight green dress that ends at her knee's decorated with butterflies.

"Uh hello?" I really don't want to talk to her, but she won't leave me alone until I do. It's like with kisses from Peeta. The difference is that we both enjoy it. In this case one of us is bursting with joy and the other one wants to grab the other persons head by their neon purple hair and rip it all out.

"Katniss Everdeen! Ooh!" Yeah it's me. I thought we already established that.

"Uh yeah. It's still the same person." She acts as if I just walked away and was replaced by someonelse.

"Can I take a picture?" Hell no. I just turn around and walk right back in the building. this lady is out of her damn mind if she thinks i'm going to take a picture with her.

Once we finish up planning the Bakery, no i mean when Peeta finishes planning the Bakery we pack up and leave. I really hope that dumb Capital lady isn't still there. My luck is not great today.

"Peeta Mellark! Ah!" She squeals. I roll my eyes. But of course the nice side of peeta has to take over.

"Hello..."

"Bitsy. Bitsy expolla." Bitchy. I like it.

"Nice to meet you Bitsy." Peeta elbows me.

"Hey Bitchy." Peeta looks at me with a look that says 'What the hell.'

"we are so sorry Bitsy. Aren't we Katniss."

"Yes I um, was thinking about my...friends nickname."

"It's okay! Well I have got to be going, but see you later!"

We get to the town square before Peeta chews me out.

"Katniss that was so rude."

"I'm sorry that i'm not as nice as you." _And that I don't care._

"No more neck kisses then." He voices my greatest fear.

"Noo! I promise i'll do whatever you say just don't take away the neck kisses. They feel like heaven!"

He laughs at my failed attempt.

"Anything really? Well can I kiss you?"

"Only if you kiss me on my neck first."

I blush as he kisses me right there in the middle of town as people stare at us. I'm about to pull away when I see some looks were getting, but then Peeta finds that spot I told him about earlier and it makes my knee's weak and my heart pound out of my chest. This boy seems to know all of my weaknesses. He picks me up and carries me home while still kissing that spot. I can not love him more than I do in this moment.

**A/N**** I Hoped you liked this chapter. Just to let you know, sometimes I can post in two or three days, and sometimes it can take a week so their is no permanent schedule anymore!**


	9. Just like old times

**A/U ****Sorry for not posting! I've been caught up in school work and I was sick so pleeeeeeeeease forgive me! You will never have to wait this long again.**

**Haymitch**

I wake up to find that Peeta has left me some fresh bread, and Katniss some meat. I expect this from the boy, but Katniss? Some of his niceness must have rubbed off on her. It's surprising how nice she is when she is with Peeta. It's like a whole new Katniss. She still has her fire but it is burning at the bare minimum. She's so different from the seam girl I knew, the girl that would never be caught dead in love.

The phone rings and I grunt, hating the fact that Effie repaired it. I told her not to, but her and her little prissy ass had to. I struggle to get up, because for some reason I am covered in liquor and some other substance I think to be vomit. I walk over to the phone, or limp, and pick it up. I am not happy with the voice I hear.

"Haymitch! How have ya' been? I haven't seen you since the war!" Plutarch's Voice rings through my ears. Plutarch calling can only mean one thing.

"Yes and I like to keep it that way. What do you want?" I ask even though I already know before he responds.

"Katniss and Peeta haven't been seen in months outside of their district. We really do need to see how our little Mockingjay is doing."

Great. There is no way Katniss is going to do this. Peeta will side along with her with whatever she chooses.

"Why? Panem is in Paylors hands now. Let her play with the country for a little bit before you get them out again. They are still healing. With Katniss and the death of her sister Prim, Peeta and his…episodes. They are in no condition to be on TV. I try to buy them some time. But Plutarch doesn't play that. Damn.

"Haymitch, I don't care what you have to say. Katniss and Peeta will be camera ready in a day and that's final. They will either be needed in district four to do a interview on Finnick, or the Capital. President Paylor has already authorized this. Goodbye."

"Yeah right." I mutter to myself. After calling Paylor's assistant then after her other three guards finish questioning me I finally reach her, and she confirms Plutarch's statement. I better get this over with now.

**Katniss**

My day started out great. After Peeta carried me home last night, I had no nightmares. Then I woke up to pancakes and cheese buns. Then my whole day started to crumble after Haymitch told me the news.

"Mmmm is that…Pancakes!" I yell hopping down the stairs two steps at a time.

"Yep. And you're favorite."

"Oh no you didn't! Oh my god I love you so much right now!" I say running up to Peeta and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He chuckles and gives me a weird look.

"Why because I made you breakfast?" He asks me and kisses me on the neck when I wrap my arms around his waist and I can feel his abs. wow.

"No. well yes, that and because you're the best person I could ever have!"

"Okay Katniss. Well can you stop hugging me and set the table?"

"Yeah yeah okay."

I let go and set down the table. Breakfast is soon ready and we sit down and eat, not speaking very much. Well I don't speak very much. Peeta talks on and on about the bakery while I stuff my face with pancakes and cheese buns.

A little while later, after my third serving and a warning from Peeta, Haymitch bursts in the room.

"Hey Haymitch! Why don't you sit for breakfast? Bet you haven't had that in a while."

Peeta and I burst out laughing as Haymitch lets out a simple 'haha'. He looks like he is about to decline, but thinks better of it.

"Yeah sure. I got something to tell you guys."

"Yeah well I'm sure it can wait. This stuff is delicious!"

"Yes I'm sure it is. Is that why there is two empty plates next to you?"

"Yeah. She eats likes she never going to eat again." Peeta says.

"Yeah well a wise man once told me 'you only live once'."

"Well that's not true. I lived twice. Finnick restarted my heart after I died in the arena." Peeta decides to one-up me. Okay then.

"Shut up Peeta!" I throw my spoon at him. "You know what I mean." Peeta laughs when I hit him in his forehead with the spoon then rolls his eyes at Haymitch.

"Whatever you two. Can I share my story now?" Haymitch asks.

"No way! Did Haymitch just ask us if he can do something? Wow your getting old." I say laughing my head off with Peeta.

"Yeah well Plutarch has requested that you two do an appearance at the Capital, or in Four."

All of a sudden the laughter stops. What the hell? No damn way.

"No way in hell will I ever do that. Forget Plutarch. Tell him to go shove his dumb ideas up his-"

"Katniss!" Peeta interrupts. "You don't say that about Plutarch."

"Oh what are you going to do? Put me in a time out?"

"Katniss, Don't! Haymitch even though Katniss put it in a…different way, I agree with her. I can not go back to the Capital. I will go off on every thing I see there. I'll look at a wall and go off."

I'm glad Peeta agrees with me, but I am more worried about his flashbacks than he seems to be.

"Yeah and my mother is in Four, and if she's tries to talk to me, I have some choice words for her." I do not want to see the women who left me in district twelve because she couldn't face it. Pathetic.

"Yeah well you don't have a choice. Paylor authorized it. Good luck. Be ready by tomorrow. No arguing Katniss." With that he walks out and attempts to slam the door, but instead smashes his fingers and lets out a string of curse words that would make me laugh if I weren't so mad.

"What are we going to do Peeta? We have to go."

"We could run." I'm utterly shocked by this. Run? No way. We didn't run before the quell and I'm not going anywhere.

"No way! We didn't run before the quell, and were not running now. And we have never been the ones to run away from our problems."

"Yeah I guess. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well I guess we'd better get packing."

"Yeah." Peeta says it so sadly that I can't resist the urge to walk over to him and kiss him. So I do.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world. Plus this time we won't have to fake something to save a life. Speaking of that, if Plutarch goes missing, I had nothing to do with it." I say putting both of my hands next to my head and winking. He laughs and says, "Yeah well just don't assassinate anymore presidents."

Assassinate? Coin was not important.

"Please Peeta. Don't kid yourself. That woman was the girl version of Snow. The only difference between them is the fact that I didn't kill Snow."

"Yeah, why didn't you? Why did you shoot coin instead?"

"Because after the Capital fell, I saw him in his garden and he reminded me about something we agreed to before the Victory tour. We both agreed not to lie to each other. I didn't trust him, but I don't back down on my word. So I couldn't kill him because of what we agreed to. So I killed the woman who has been making me miserable since the start. That bitch Coin, who killed Prim with those bombs that…_Gale _designed."

"It wasn't his fault Katniss. He didn't know what Coin was using it for."

"Yeah well he designed it. And he became 'heartless Gale, who doesn't give a damn about Katniss's feelings and lets his hate for the Capital stand in the way.' Between the way you two were acting, I felt so alone." I say with a sigh. "Prim was my only friend. I would lie in my hospital bed too afraid to sleep because of the nightmares I had every night, then I would roam around thirteen and hide in things like closets and storage rooms.

"Oh Katniss, I am so sorry."

"Yeah well it's not your fault. So, let's get packing." I say leaving the room. But before I do, I hear Peeta whisper. "I'm so sorry I acted like that Katniss. I never knew what you were going through. I love you."

When I hear that, I whisper back, "I love you too." More than he can ever know.


	10. Your lucky I dont have my bow and arrows

**A/N so iv'e been thinking about where I want this story to go, and I would love to have some direction from you guys to see what you want, so remember to reveiw and say what you think!**

**Katniss**

After whispering back to Peeta, I head upstairs to start packing for the trip to the Capital. We got a call from Haymitch saying we were not needed in Four. Figures. Who needs a mockingjay in Disrtict Four? I am relived and worried at the same time. I don't have to visit my mother, or relive those awful memories. But then I have to go to the Capital, and relive the worst moments of my life. The games. Coin. Snow. War. Death. Finnick. Peeta's hijacking. P-Prim and her...passing. I am still not over the death of Prim. The harder I try not to think of her, the more I see her in everything around me. It's like her spirit is roaming around everywhere I look. In the flowers. In the kitchen. In Peeta's eyes. In me. Her spirit is in me the most. I still haven't worked up the courage to go in her room yet.

I sigh and walk into my room. It looks awful. There are sheets thrown all over the floor, clothes spread around everywhere, shoes, socks and pillows on the floor. But none of those things impact me as much as the photo of me, Peeta and Prim on the day that Peeta was teaching Prim how to bake and I happened to walk in on them. In the picture I have a bowl of cake batter in my hands and a spoon covered in the batter, and some of the batter is on Peeta's face. He's smiling down at me, and I am smiling up at him too. Prim has chocolate icing all over her cheeks and nose.

I remember that day all to well; it was a few weeks after the Victory tour. Prim could not stop talking about how excited she was to be baking. Peeta was coming over to show her. I had rolled my eyes and left the room because I am a terrible baker. I almost burned down Peeta's house trying to make cheese buns. But I was also secretly glad he was coming over because I wanted to see him. After smelling something really delicious coming from downstairs, I decided to join them. Peeta saw me and smiled, then asked if I could mix the batter without burning the house down. He got playful smack for that. While I was doing that, Peeta make a joke about how terrible I was at baking, so I threw the spoon at him. We both stared laughing, and we forgot about Prim. It wasn't until she asked if the icing was good that we looked at her, and her face was covered in icing. My mom had taken the picture after saying what a mess we made. But even she couldn't help laughing.

I grab the photo and fall onto the bed. I lay there and sob, remebering how happy we were, and how we will never experience another moment like that again. I cry for I don't know how long, quickly forgetting about packing for the trip. I cry knowing that I will never see Prim again. I will never see that happy smile on her face, I will never see her to blonde braids. I will never see a happy moment like that again. I just lie there, silent tears streaming down my face. I hear someone's laughter coming from downstairs. Well I'm glad their happy because i'm not. I start to feel a little weird, wondering who is downstairs until Peeta comes in the room.

"Hey Katniss, is my comb in you ro-" He takes one look at me and comes rushing over.

"Katniss? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Katniss?" He is now sitting next to me. I don't answer him. I don't have enough energy to. So I just lay there while he asks me if i'm alright. At some point he picks me up and lays my head on my pillow, tucks me in, and kisses my nose. Then he leaves as I drift off.

**Peeta**

After leaving Katniss's house I go to my room and start packing. The guilt feeling never leaves me. I feel guilty knowing what I put Katniss through. She deserves more than I could ever give her. Everyday I look back at what I did and I feel ashamed knowing what I did. The only thing more frustrating than knowing what i did, is when people say that it wasn't my fault. Like yeah, I know the Capital hijacked me. But that would have never happened if I didn't let the rest of our alliance separate us because that's where it all went wrong.

I've heard Haymitch say 'It wasn't your fault boy. You did what you could do'. But what I could do was not good enough. I curse myself everyday for that mistake. But I also try to remember the good things, like how Katniss and I are in a... somewhat steady relationship. I smile at the word relationship ignoring the word somwhat. And I know the love is real. No more pretending. No more pretending to love the Capital. If we are asked bout the Capital, Katniss will gladly tell them that the capital can go to hell in the blink of the eye. Speaking of Katniss, I think I left my comb at her house. Sure I don't really need it, but I need a reason to go check on her.

I walk in her house, and it still looks the same as when I left. But more importantly, her only suitcase is still sitting next to the table in the living room. I start to worry about her even more than I already was. Why hasn't she used her suitcase? Why is her favorite pair of shoes still by the door? I think I might have started to hyper-venilate. I take deep calming gulps of air to try to calm myself down. There are many reasons why she could still have her suitcase downstairs. All of a sudden I start to laugh. I am acting so foolish. I'm worrying about Katniss because of a suitcase? I worry way to much. I start to make my way upstairs to her room. I think I hear crying.

"Hey Katniss, is my comb in your ro-" I stop mid sentence and run over to her. She is lying on her side with tears streaming down her face.

"Katniss? Are you alright? Are you hurt? Katniss?" I ask but all she does is lie there. I keep talking, but I dont think she is listening to me.

"Katniss? are you alright? you alright? Please answer me." I keep trying to get her to answer but all she does is sit there with a blank look on her face. I look down to see what is in her hand, and see the day I was teaching Prim to bake. Then I know why she had this breakdown. She still isn't over Prim. No, Not in the least bit.

I pick her up and wipe her tears off with my thumb, tuck her into her bed, and kiss the tip of her nose, then I leave her house. I stop and turn back around, going back to her house and start packing up her things. It's the least I can do. I know how stressed she is about Prim, and going to the Capital. For a minute I start to wonder if she was worried about me. I quickly push the thought away. If she was worried, she would have said something. After packing her things, I leave her house for real this time, and go to mine. I decide a nap won't kill me. But thats a funny thing to say, since alot of other things I thought couldn't, can.

**Katniss**

I wake up grumbling at the person who is shaking me awake. I'm about to yell at them to go away, until I see the blue eyes. I immediately soften up.

"Hello, gorgeous." Peeta says. Ugh. How can he think of me like that when I look like this. My hair is in a messy half braid, my clothes are rumpled, and I have some tears on my face.

"Only you can think i'm beautiful when I look like this." I say voicing my thoughts.

"I didn't call you beautiful. I called you gorgeous. But you are gorgeous, stunning, beautiful, breathingtaking, heart stopping, chest pounding and have the most amazing eyes."

I just roll my eyes and stand up.

"No, you Peeta Mellark have the most beautiful eyes. I love the blue in your eyes." I take two steps foward and I am standing right in front of him.

"You are breathtaking and all of those other things you said about me. " My forehead in now touching his.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I close what little space there was between us. My hands automatically go to his hair, and his hands slide up my back. I sigh and lean into him, while never breaking the kiss. His lips feel like a cool glass of ice cold water on a hot summer day. Our tongues collide and dance about in our mouths. Peeta breaks off the kiss. I am about to protest, but quickly forgive him when he starts to place soft kisses up and down my neck. He nibbles on my ear and I let out a sigh and let my head fall back. Just as he finds that spot I like, the phone goes off. Peeta lets go of me and raises his eyebrows at me. Annoyed, I yell, "WHAT THE HELL!?" I angrily stomp to the phone while Peeta laughs his head off at me. I snatch the phone off of the holder.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"

"Didn't get enough beauty sleep, sweetheart?" I hear Haymitch laughing at his own stupid joke.

"Haha. What do you want? You interrupted a very good moment." I am so annoyed at his timing.

"Let me guess. You two were going at-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP HAYMITCH!" I scream into the phone, cutting him off.

"For your information, Peeta and I are not in that part of our . I do not plan on having kids anytime soon and Peeta is too nice to lay a hand on me until I say so. We have not and will not for a long time, have sex."

"Yeah whatever. That's what I said. Are you ready? The train is coming in ten minutes. Be ready to get on in it. And try not to tell the Capital how much you hate them." No way. I'm not trying to save anybody's life, so I will be glad to tell the Capital off.

"Well I am not fighting for my life, or anybody elses life for that matter, so no. I will tell them exactly what I think of them. If they don't like it, they can shove it up their ass." I slam the phone back into the wall and stomp upstairs.

"Who was it? It sounded like you weren't very happy." Peeta ask when I stomp in the room.

"Yeah well I wasn't. And it was Haymitch. A trains coming in ten."

"Oh and so i'm to nice to lay a hand on you? Hmm we'll see about that." Peeta grabs me and pulls me into his arm. He kisses me feircly and it feels so good that I have to stop it so we won't miss our train, although I wouldn't mind if we did.

"Okay Peeta. So your not so nice. And a very good kisser. The train is coming so get out so I can change."

"Without me?" Peeta asks jokingly.

"Peeta!" I playfully swatt him./

"Hey i'm only kidding. Now hurry up." He leaves the room and I hurriedly rebraid my hair and put on some black pants and a green shirt.

"Okay, i'm ready. Let's go." I say walking downstairs and grabbing my suitcase that seems to have packed its self. I try and give Peeta a quick kiss on the cheek, but he sweeps me into his arms and gives me a full kiss on the mouth.

"Peeta." I say looking up into his eyes. "Were gonna be late and you already proved your skills." He settles with a kiss on the tip of my nose and grabs my hand as we walk through the door. It's around six o'clock when we leave. I see Haymitch a few feet away from us, with a bottle in his hand. Peeta calls his name and waves as he comes over to us, I roll my eyes. He is to nice.

"Nice to see you, Peeta." Haymitch says then eyes me. "Not quite as nice to see, but still nice."

As we walk to the train station, Peeta and Haymitch make small talk, but I tune them out. I'm too busy looking around the new square to notice. I just startd looking at the foundation for the bakery when somthing in the corner of my eye catches my attention. When I look over, my heart stops. A few feet away frm the bakery are these statues. I didn't even realize that I stopped walking until I feel the tug on our enwitted hands. I gasp, glaring at the statues. How are they? I guess Peeta saw that I stopped, or that my mouth is hanging open, or that I tugged on his hand, because he smiles at me and starts to talk about them.

"You like them? They came in this morning. There is one of the important people of the rebellion. Theres one of me, you, Haymitch for some reason, Gale has one here and in two theres-" I tune him out because there is only one that I looks at. I see the statue of a girl, with blonde braids, and her medical uniform on, and the shirt tucking out of the back. Like a little duck. Peeta sees what i'm staring at and shuts up. He gives my hand a comforting squeez.

"Your sister was important. After all, she was a rebel medic. And the Mockingjay's sister. Everybody loved her."

I just nod my head and keep walking like I understand what he's saying. I do understand. But who gave them permission? Not me. I would have never approved. She is my sister after all. I decide to let it go. Just this once.

We board on the train and I can't help the funny feeling I get when i'm in this train. We all start walking around tying to get a feel for it. I notice Peeta looking in weird places like corners of windows, and the ceilings. Something tells me he's not searching for a feel of the place. We looka round for a few more minutes. I sit down at a table and the funny feeling still isn't gone. I trail my finger over a dent in th table and gasp. I now know what that funny feeling was. What the hell?

**Peeta**

Katniss has been very...different lately. It's almost like she is happy and glad to have comfort. Maybe I really am making an impact on her. On the way to the train, Katniss stops. I look behind my shoulder at her. Her mouth is wide open and she looks shocked. I follow her gaze the new statues they put in this morning. I noticted when I went to buy some flour at the new market. I won't tell her, but I think she looks hot in her mockingjay suit and her bow in her hand, with her arrows over her shoulder, and her long braid going down her arm. So I just smile at her.

"You like them? They came in this morning. There is one of the important people of the rebellion from our district. Theres one of me, you, Haymitch for some reason, Gale has one here and in two theres Prim and Someone else I don't recognize. Pretty cool huh? You know, you would have saw them if you actually go to the square." I look at her and see the sorrow and anger in her eyes and follow her glare to the statue of Prim. I don't know why she is surprised. Everybody knew Prim. Everybody loved her too.

"Your sister was important. After all, she was a rebel medic. And the Mockingjay's sister. Everybody loved her." I tell her and squeeze her hand.

We board the train and It feels kinda...well weird. We walk around the train to get a feel for it. Well that's why _their_ walking around. I'm looking for hidden cameras. Our days of having to be cautious of what we say are over. What else can we say that the Capital doesn't already know anyway? I still check. When I'm satisfied, I lean agaist the wall. My hands rub the wall and I come across a panel, seperating the two walls. I see a scratch on the inside of each panel. Thats when I realize satisfied is not the only thing i'm feeling. Suddenly a bunch of memories form in my brain and demand my attention.

_"So, you're supposed to give us advice." Katniss says to Haymitch over breakfast._

_"Here's some adivce." He says. I expect him to start talking about stratigies to help us survive n the arena. I couldn't be more wrong. He decides to go in a different direction. "Stay alive." He starts to laugh, and each second it lasts the more anger builds up inside me. How is he supposed to help me keep Katniss alive when he's making jokes? We'll see who's laughing._

_"That's very funny," I knock the glass out of his hands. He can't be drunk if he's going to help me keep Katniss alive and get her home he looks at me for a moment then punches me square in the jaw. He sure is strong for a drunk guy. I'm starting to think that was all for nothing when I see him reaching for the bottle. I look up and see Katniss drive the knife into the table between his hands and the table, barely missing his fingers. I think she missed on purpose because i've seen what she does with a knife._

"_Did I actually get some fighters this year?" I her Haymitch say._

_ When I go to put some ice on my face, Haymitch tells me to leave it. He's giving advice now, so thats good. He asks if Katniss can hit anything else with the knife and I immediately know that it is a yes. She pulls the knife out of the table and aims. She throws it so fast that I don't have time to duck before the knife peirces me in the chest. I fall to the ground and hear Katniss laughing at me._

I quickly shake my head as if it will clear the image from my head. I now know why this traim seems so familiar. It's the same train we had during our first games. Those bastards.

I guess Katniss realizes it too, because she gasps loudly and looks shocked. She runs her finger over the dent on the table she is sitting at.

"This was the train we rode in when we went to the games. Real or not real?" I ask. Im not doing this for my benefit, but for hers.

"R-Real. I remember this dent. This is where I stabbed the knife into the table." Katniss stares at me in disbelief. "Why would they do this? They're lucky I don't have my bow and arrows."

"Maybe they wanted us to feel like were at home?"

"At home my ass. Those stupid sick barstards." Katniss mutters.

She really needs to watch her language. I don't say anything because I know if I did, she would just say I'm not her mother and tease me. Katniss goes off to her room without another word. Haymitch goes to the kitchen to get a drink. I go to my room and get out a pencil and several sheets of paper. I sketch old memories i've had on this train. I sketch for a few hours, even though it feels like minutes. It's about ten when I finally go to bed. I just lie there, thinking. Thinking about whats going on, about what going to happen, and about how Katniss is holding up.

I start to think about asking Katniss if I can spend the night in her room. I decide to come up with an excuse to go in there. I don't have to wait long, because Katniss's screams fill the train. I get up and run to her room. I shake her softly whispering comforting words to her. Even as I try to soothe her, she continues to thrash around in my arms.

"Katniss, shh it's okay it's okay. Your safe. Shh."

Eventually she calms down and cries in my arms. We just sit there, together, enjoying eachothers company. I know eventually i'm going to have to leave, but I try not to think about it. I just sit and embrace that she will tell me when she's ready. I can't help thinking of the Victory tour, and how she was having a nightmare. And I stayed with her throughout the night.

After about an hour when I think she's sleeping, I lay her down gently and try my best to sneak out of the room. Quietness has never been my strong suit. When i'm almost at the door, I hear her quietly ask in a voice so quiet it sounds like a whisper, "Stay with ?" I think about how she hurt her heel after jumping over the fence to get home and she had sleep syrup in her. Just like then, when I whispered back to her, I do it again. So I don't hesitate when I Whisper back, "Always." And climb into bed holding her tight and regretting never coming over to answer her screams at home. I won't ever make that mistake again.


	11. It's my first time

**A/N Hey guys! So, I am back. Sorry! I just needed a break and am happy to start fan fiction up again! I don't think I will be zoning out on you guys again, so get ready for some awesome chapters. I am currently going through the old chapters and editing them, as I found soooo many mistakes, and I also started up a new story, called the Living Games, or at least I started writing it. I think i'll post it soon, or maybe when it's already written and done so I won't let you guys down again. I plan on doing a sequel to the story i'm writing, even though I haven't even published it yet! I am so crazy. With out further ado, what you have been waiting for, for five months. *Hangs head in shame and dodges flying shoe***

**Katniss**

After my nightmare last night, Peeta came in and made me feel better. I am really worried about him because he has not had a flashback since... the time he ran out to the woods. I know that going to the Capitol is going to mess everything up. It's like taking one step forward, and ten steps back. I sigh and roll over in Peeta's arms, to see that he is still sleeping, and snoring a little. I smile and laugh a little. He gives a little snort with a confused face, and opens his eyes. I laugh so hard I can barely breathe. Peeta just looks at me weirdly, and tries to look calm. I just laugh harder. It reminds me of the Quell, when Finnick and I woke Peeta up by scaring him.

When my laughing finally gets to a level where i can talk, I say, "You... I didn't know you snored!" I shouldn't have said that! It just made me laugh all over again.

When I finally calm myself down, Peeta tickles the carp out of my sides. I squirm on the mattress, trying to get away from his wiggling fingers.

"Peeta! Stop... Stop it!" I laugh again and pull his face down to mine and make it seem like i'm going to kiss him, but instead, I sneak my hands around his arms and tickle him back.

I am happy when he squirms and laughs. What makes me stop, is the fact that he squealed like a little girl. I just could not stop laughing! I haven't laughed like that in a long time. So I tell him.

"That was soooo fun, but so horrible at the same time."

He laughs. "I hope it happens again." Then he leans in and kisses me. It isn't out usual fast, hungry kisses, it's slow and filled with passion. I can feel my heart about to rib out of my chest, it's beating so loud.

I climb over and lay on top of him, snaking my hands under his shirt. He flips us over, and starts to kiss my neck. In that _damn_ soft spot. I try to stifle a moan, but it just comes out.

"Peeta."

He moves down lower and lower, to my collar bone, then right about my shirt line, he looks into my eyes.

"Katniss... Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life before."

He nods and moves lower.

You can guess what happened next.

I guess now we have something for Haymitch to tease us over. I just told him yesterday that me and Peeta wouldn't have sex, and that didn't even last 24 hours.

Wow.

I don't believe Peeta when he says he's never done that before. He says he just catches on fast. I rolled my eyes. No one catches on that fast.

After that, we get ready for the day, both of us feeling very happy_. _I decide to leave my hair down today, I just felt like it. I grab Peeta's hand, look him in the eyes, and smile the biggest smile I've smile since being here. I know that being here in the Capitol is going to hurt him, and he is going to have a lot of flashbacks. I need to help him through it. While I think and hope he won't hurt me, I know he could. Then he'd blame himself and never forgive himself. He wouldn't leave me because of it, would he? No. He wouldn't leave me on me own because he had a flashback. He knows how much I need him. I couldn't live without him.

When we go downstairs, i'm surprised to see Johanna standing there talking with Haymitch. I haven't seen or talked to her since the War. We got through our differences, and I guess you could say we don't hate each other, but you won't see us making friendship bracelets anytime soon.

She greets us with a somewhat creepy smirk. "Look who it is. The Mockingjay, and the boy with the bread. Quite a meal, if you ask me. Haymitch here, was just telling me what he... heard from he two of you."

I don't know what the hell she is talking about, and neither does Peeta.

"Let me spell it out for you. He heard everything. Think about what happened in the last... hmm. two hours, was it Haymitch?" He nods at her.

Oh. OH! Oh my gosh! He heard all of that! My hands fly to my cheeks as they get so red from blushing so hard, that tomatoes have nothing on them.

Johanna starts to laugh, or more of an evil cackle. I walk out of the room to get some water, and mostly to escape that embarrassing moment. Haymitch and Johanna will never let this go!

Peeta was still in there dealing with there sex jokes, while I drink some water. He walks in about two minutes later looking like Effie with too much blush on. He grabs my hands and starts to swing them back and forth.

"Maybe next time i'll be quieter." I say, not meaning it.

"Yeah, well, I did kind of bring it on myself. If I wasn't so good at catching onto skills quickly we'd never be here." I swat his on the arm playfully as he steps closer to me. He stops swinging our hands and kisses me. He is so freaking tall that I arch my neck to kiss him and stand on the tip of my toes. He fixes the problem by lifting me up on the counter I was leaning on, and wrapping his arms around my waist. My hands find his neck quickly. He kisses my neck and collar bone, and i'm about to moan when Johanna walks in. I jump off the counter quicker than Peeta stops kissing me, and he comes down with me, falling onto of me as we land in a heap on the floor of the kitchen.

Johanna starts to laugh, and laugh. She soon joins us on the floor as she's laughing so hard. I roll my eyes and stand up, offering my hand to Peeta, who just pulls me down again. I punch his arm and stand up again. He stands up and tries to say something, but Johanna cuts him off.

"You... You two just can't stay off each other can you? You're only what, 17? Gosh, you two are some horny teenagers. I see Brainless is so pure anymore. What have you done, Peeta!"

Effie Trinket decides to walk into the room, so it saves me a blushed face, and Peeta an explanation.

"Oh, hello darlings!" Effie looks normal. Well, as normal as Effie can get. She has long blonde hair, with pretty, blue eyes. She could pass for a Merchant if she lived in Twelve. She has simple pink eye shadow on, and her skin is a normal color, and not so pale. She looks like Peeta, except he's a boy, and She's a girl.

We run over and hug her while Haymitch smirks and takes a sip out of his bottle. Maybe there is more going on here than I know...

"How have you been, Effie?" Peeta asks in his sweet, caring, loving tone. It makes me tilt my head to the side, smile, and sigh lovingly.

"Oh, just running my own clothing boutique. Nothing out of the ordinary, Peeta. People have been clawing each others eyes out for my designs. How have you been? I've heard..." Effie chirps on about how she thinks we've been while Johanna pulls me aside, snapping me put of my fantasy world.

"You have it bad."

"What?" I ask snapping fully out of Peeta land.

"You are really head over heels for this boy."

"Oh, yeah. He is really amazing. I know you don't want to hear about that though."

"You thought right."

I decide to tell Johanna bout what I've been sweating over. After all, she was with him in the Capitol.

"I am so worried for Peeta."

"About what? He's a big boy, Katniss. He can..."

"He is in the Capitol, the place where all of our worst nightmares come true. And for him, nightmares means flashbacks. I know it is going to be hell these upcoming days." I cut her off.

"Yeah, you better keep a leash on him, or he might kill someone, or some people..."

"Hey!" I cut her off again. "He won't kill anyone. Not that I'd mind if Plutarch or a couple of Capitol freaks went missing..."

"Now you're getting it."

She tells me all about how she was dragged there to do a speech on the war, and how all the other Victors are coming, except Annie because they don't want her to have any flashbacks. Like she's the one we need to be worrying about. She is a nice, sweet girl, but not very stable. Not like she'd kill anyone because she got hijacked by the Capitol or anything.

We get a message that Enobaria and Beetee will be coming on a different train.

When we get to the Capitol, we have to leave in a particular fashion. First Effie, then Haymitch, and Johanna next. Then me and Peeta, because we are the most popular. There will be a car waiting for us at the end of the walk. The Capitol people are screaming outside for us, even though we destroyed their home.

Idiots.

Effie leaves, then Haymitch. They both get a considerable amount of screams. Then Johanna leaves, and they all scream loudly for her. When it's finally our turn, I grab Peeta's hand and ask him, "Together?"

He smiles at the memories that brings up. "Together."

We step out, and it's chaos. People are so excited that they scream and try to touch us. This guy grabbed my shoulder, so I twisted his hand and flicked him off. I could feel Peeta tugging on my hand telling me to calm down. I just kept walking when this lady with a dirty look on her face threw her ring at me. She missed, but I was stilled pissed off.

As if knowing how I would react, Peeta picked me up and wrapped his arms around around my waist with my arms trapped beneath his. To the stupid Capitol people, it might look like an affectionate hold, but really, it just stopped me from running out and going hijacked Peeta on the bitch.

He starts to whisper sweet thing in my ear that comfort me. I calm down and by the time we reach the car I feel fine. We speed off to the place were staying. Oh. My. God.

If Plutarch and I had come to some sort of agreement, it's over now.

He just signed his death wish.

It's the training center.


	12. Training Center or Hotel?

**Growing Together Again**

**A/N ****I've been thinking about this for awhile, and I'm not a smut writer. I'm just pulling at you heart strings and adding fluff, so don't expect me to go into deep detail. Haha, if you're looking for that You're in the wrong place. Please enjoy this chapter, any mistakes or anything let me know, please review! Enjoy my good people.**

**Chapter 12**

**Katniss**

I feel like I've been hit by the car we just got off of.

Coming off a train, walking through a crowd, and having people show their anger at me has made me... very angry. I feel like I could rip someones head off. Or choke them.

Choke...

That makes me realize something, or _someone_, so I look behind me at Peeta. If I'm this angry, I can't imagine what he's going through.

When I look behind me, all I see is his face twisted in a grimace and smirk look.

What?

He must see the question in my eyes, because he smile a little.

"The memories this place brings up. And I thought the train was bad."

He must be in good shape to be cracking jokes.

I just shrug my shoulders and walk in front of the rest of the group, since they were standing there from shock, or anger.

The place looks exactly like it did when I came here after I shot coin.

I flinch while walking.

It's not that I regret shooting her, I really don't, but it's the things that I did and how I felt afterwards. Screaming for... for Gale when he'd never come. Going crazy and refusing morphling, then trying to overdose on the stuff. It's just one of those many memories I don't want to revisit.

When we all walk in, there's a front desk and a man sitting behind it. The place looks so different. There's a lot of new things like chairs and decoration items.

"Oh, hello, you must be..." He trails off.

"What going on here?" I don't know what has happened. Why are people walking around this building like it's their home?

"Well... well you _see,_ this 'ol place was turned into a hotel. We didn't want to close it down or destroy it, so it's a popular tourist site and a place for people to stay."

I try to hide my disgust with this man. why would anyone want to stay here? I remember that I don't have to hide my feelings toward the Capitol. They can't arrest me even though I'm pretty sure half of their population still wants me dead.

Johanna beats me to expressing my disgust.

"What type of dirty rat bastards are you? Why would you stay here by choice? You know what, I don't want to know what you people probably do in here."

The man barely covers up his anger and shock, though who would be shocked by the kind of things Johanna says by now? "Yes, well you must be the Victors, here is your key, your room is on the 12th floor, get awa... I mean goodbye, now."

I groan. Really? Does it really have to be on the floor that means the most to me? The floor that has most of my memories?

"I'm sorr-" The man begins when he sees my face.

"No, you're not. So just shut up," I cut him off. If he wants to be rude, I can be rude.

We make our way up the elevator, and it fees just like the first time I rode up this elevator. The people still shrink like ants.

When we stop at our floor, I become nervous. They replaced the vase that lays on the tables with another vase. Probably so I will push Peeta on it again so they can get some of Peeta, I grab his hand and hold on tight. I'm sure he remembers what happened after his first interview here.

"Why do they keep replacing this vase?"

"So you'll have something to let your anger out on things other than teenage boys," Haymitch says.

I glare at him.

"Feels like it happened yesterday, right?" Peeta says.

"Yeah," I mutter.

"That was funny, not because he was hurt, but because you were so clueless," Haymitch laughs.

I stick my tongue out at him.

"Well, the past is in the past." Effie says.

"Um, am I the only on who is lost right now?" Johanna asks, and everyone else laughs.

"Yes, very lost."

"Well, Breadboy, why don't you explain then."

"After my first interview, when I told the world of my undying love for Katniss, when we got to this spot she pushed me and I fell on a vase that used to be right on this table. It was ve-"

"Hey!" I break in. "I didn't push you. I was trying to turn you around but you fell."

"Yeah, right." Peeta says, while mouthing 'No' to Johanna.

I push him on his shoulders and he falls on the ground with a loud thud.

"Now that's what it would have looked like if I pushed you."

I walk away.

I don't really want to go back into my old room, so I go and unpack my stuff in Peeta's room. I sure hope he doesn't mind.

After a while, I hear Peeta come in the room. I already unpacked my stuff, so when I finished I just lied down on the bed, and that's where he found me.

"Katniss?"

I hope he's okay with it

"Yeah," I say sheepishly.

"Um.. Not that I don't love your company, I do, but why are you in here?"

"I really didn't want to go back into my old room, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I hear you."

"So it's okay?"

Peeta laughs. "You know your always welcome in here"

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. Any chance you used the dresser?"

I shake my head. "No. I used the closet. Figured that if I was going to crash your room I might as well let you have an easy time unpacking."

"How sweet of you," Peeta laughs.

He looks so cute when he smiles. He tells me all the time how beautiful I am, but I don't think I've ever told him how beautiful he is.

"Stunning.." I whisper.

"What was that?"

I stand up and walk over to him until I'm standing right in front of him.

"I said, you are stunning." I tangle my fingers in his hair. "You tell me all the time how beautiful I am, but I never tell you. You are the most beautiful, stunning, striking, basically any word that means amazing, person I have ever met. Sorry if I don't tell you enough." Before he can respond, I pull him gently by his hair and press our lips together.

He makes a sound of surprise, but he kisses me back. He puts his hands on my waist and pulls me closer to him. I can feel his heart beating a mile a minute, and I know that mine is the same way. We've never really kissed this way before. It was never nice and slow, like we were trying to save the moment except what happened when we were on the train. It was always just two teenagers in love who didn't have a reason to take it slow. It wasn't like that now.

I remove one of my hands from his hair and run it along the edge of his shirt, pulling it up a little. After that I put my finger under his shirt and feel his chest area. He really has a lot of muscles. A good and bad thing if you think about it.

I shake the thought from my mind and tug his shirt up. He gets the message and we break apart for only a second so he pull it over his head and toss it somewhere in our room. We quickly start to kiss again. For some reason, it's not enough for me. I need to feel our skin touching together, so I grab his hands and guide them to my shirt, where he unbuttons it and throws it to the side somewhere. I can feel his muscled torso against my chest, his heart beating even faster if it's even possible. I can feel his hands rubbing my back and I suddenly get a great idea. Well, it might not be a great idea, but it's an interesting idea I guess. I take his bottom lip gently between my teeth and pull on it a little. I turns put to be a great idea because Peeta makes a noise in the back of his throat.

I guide him over the the bed without breaking our kiss. I hover on top of him and start to kiss his jaw, and come back up to meet his lips. I'm already straddling his waist, so I move my hands down his body until I feel the waist band up his pants. Suddenly, he flips us over and I'm laying on my back while he holds up some of his weight with his elbows. I tug down on the waistband of his pants until he gets what I'm trying to do and makes it easier for me to tug his pants off. I inch my skirt off and we're just lying there in bed, in our underwear, kissing. Or making out, but I prefer the word kissing.

Just as he starts to inch down my underwear, we hear a knock on the door.

"Dam..." Peeta mutters while I scowl. He rolls off of me and lays next to me on the bed breathing hard while I do the same. We hear a knock on the door again and the door opens.

Standing in the door frame is Johanna, with a smirk on her face. Peeta and I jump out of bed so quickly that we fall on the ground next to the bed on opposite sides. I'm blushing madly, and I know Peeta is too.

"Well, well, well. What do we here?" Johanna says while walking towards us. I grab the sheet off the bed to cover myself just as Johanna reaches me.

"Care to explain?"

"Johanna..."

"Save the excuses!" She tells me.

"Well, nothing is really going on here. Nothing... weird."

"Really? It's not everyday that you walk in on two teenagers havin... okay, so maybe you _do _have an excuse, since you two are very horny teenagers..."

"We're not horny!" I tell her. "Just... motivated. We don't do this everyday, we're not crazy."

"Okay then. Why were you do..."

"Why are you here Johanna?" Peeta speaks for the first time since we were found out.

"Oh, dinner is ready." Just like that she leaves, and I am very grateful.

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. I get off the ground and get dressed, and Peeta does the same. When we're ready, I give him a little kiss and grab his hand.

"ready?" I ask him.

"Ready."

We walk to dinner with our hands entwined.


	13. Making good use of being in the Capitol

**Growing Together Again**

**A/N Hey! Since I felt like the last chapter was kind of rushed and messy, I decided to make you guys a good chapter! This one is close to 4,00 words, and I feel like it's due to you guys. I've noticed how I've been doing a lot of Katniss, so you'll see a lot more of Peeta since the things coming up in this story start to have a lot more to do with him. He's been calm lately, but you should expect things to change in a few chapters... Also, remember to review if you like it, or if you don't!**

**Peeta**

The shock of arriving at our 'hotel' and finding out that it was actually the Training Center was so big that I thought I was going to have a flashback. Katniss was holding my hand in such a tight death grip I was surprised that it didn't turn blue and fall right off. She kept me calm and being around the others helped me. Familiar faces who were my friends helped calm me... I guess now I know how to keep everyone safe. My plan was original plan when a flashback came when I was around anyone who I would try to kill, especially Katniss, was to to run somewhere and lock myself in a closet or something. I realized that I might not even be able to get myself away from the person I'm trying to kill. I have to try my hardest because I know I'm not how I was in Thirteen but I'm still a dangerous. I am much better at controlling myself but it isn't all about control. I have only had one flashback since I've gotten back and I want it to stay like that

Katniss tugs an my hand and we go back to our room. After eating dinner Effie told us that we had a meeting with President Paylor tomorrow to see how were going to show the world that we're not dead or avoiding them. And, I really wanted to point out the fact that the world could have came and seen us if they wanted to, since the ban between moving through the districts was removed after we won the war. I'm glad they didn't come though, they would have just ruined Katniss's and my time together, and possibly sent me into a flashback. I still don't know what really triggers it, and I'm hoping maybe I can see Dr. Aurelius about that. He really helped me after the war ended when I needed to get my shit together and rekindle my feelings for people.

"Are you okay?"

Katniss's voice pulls me from my thoughts and I look over at her.

"Yeah..."

"Peeta," She says while shifting our position on the bed so she lying on her side with her elbow on the bed and the side of her face in her hand. "I know well enough when you're okay, and when you're not. And you are are clearly not okay."

I hate how she can read me so easily, how we can read each other so easily. But at the same time, I love it. She always seems to know when I need her and what she can do to help me.

"Okay, okay. I'm not okay."

"What's bothering you?"

"I really don't want you to have to worry about it..."

"It's... it's about your... flashbacks and the Capitol, isn't it?"

I don't know how she always knows what's bothering me, but right now I'm very grateful for her.

"Yes. I was thinking about seeing Dr. Aurelius..."

Katniss interrupts me with a groan.

"What?"

"Are you sure he's the best to see? I mean, when I was... back then awhile ago when I was required to see him he didn't really help me. He tried, but I didn't want to hear whatever he had to say. Of course I'm different now, but I don't think he will really help you," Katniss says.

I don't know what to say. She never talks about what happened during the end of the war and around that time, so I never knew about it. I feel stunned, I don't know what to say.

"Wha... um, I d-din't know that."

"Of course you don't, I-I'm sorry I never really like talking about it, it's one of those many memories that I don't want to revisit. I'd rather just live in the present and think about the future, you know? Especially since my, our pasts haven't been so... bright."

I completely understand what she means, wanting to forget the past. Not all of it was bad some of it was enjoyable. I think maybe we should just forget the bad parts. All of that did lead to me being with Katniss and that's all I ever wanted, so how can I complain?

"Right... well while I was at the Capitol he really helped me, I guess. I didn't try to murder you when I came home so I would say he did a good job."

Katniss scowls. "Well since we're talking about him now, do you want to call him and schedule an appointment?"

"You mean you're okay with it?"

"I'm not happy about it, but I'll support you on it. And if he doesn't help you then I'm going to say, 'I told you so' every time I see you. Oh and I will find your new doctor."

I laugh and she cracks a smile.

"So you wanna do it now?"

"I don't want to, but I might as well get it out of the way," It's better to call him now and be nervous, then to be thinking about it and being nervous until I call him. My nerves are getting higher the longer I wait, so I'm gonna do it now.

I walk over to the phone on the wall and dial the number I've learned by heart.

After three rings he picks up.

"This is Dr. A. Aurelius. How may I help you?"

"Hey... It's Peeta."

He doesn't say anything for a moment and I'm pretty sure he stopped breathing.

After a few more second she say, "Yes, Peeta! How have you been? I've haven't heard from you in awhile. And I haven't heard from Katniss either. Did you tell her what I said?"

He's talking about Katniss calling him, which she hasn't done and I'm not sure she ever will.

"Yes. She just refuses. Or she doesn't really want to, it could go either way."

"I'm going to cut to the chase and say you didn't call me just to catch up. What's wrong?"

I take a deep breath to try to calm myself. "Since I'm in the Capitol and that's where I was... you know, hijacked, I wanted to know if there was anything or any way you could help me because I really don't want to make this trip bad for everyone else by trying to murder them. Got anything?"

He takes a breath in and sighs, and it's silence for a few minutes and I think he left the phone and I'm afraid he's going to say go fish. I look to Katniss and she smiles a small smile at me and I relax a bit. I can't get help if I so tense. After a few more minutes he comes back to the phone.

"I see... yes, okay. Bye. Sorry about that, it's just that I'm in District Eight right now, so I was asking my assistant if he could meet with you tomorrow. He won't bite, I promise. From what I learned with my sessions with Katniss she might not trust him, you might not either, but I assure you he's just as good as me if not better."

"Katniss said you never really talked in your sessions."

He considers this for a moment before answering. "I talked, she just didn't answer me. I don't really know what I expected. I thought she would be easy to handle but she was not. I learned from how resistant she was that she didn't trust easily, and she wouldn't talk about the people close to her, so she is protective of those she loves. She just doesn't like doctors or things related to the Capitol at all, so of course she didn't get anything out of it but I did."

I smile a playful smile and look at Katniss, who is shooting daggers at me. It makes me smile wider. When I talk I look her directly in the eye. "You're right. She isn't easy to handle at all, but she'll come through. That's one of the many reasons I love her so much."

She starts to smile kind of shy fully and looks away.

We schedule an appointment and hang up. I'm glad I decided to get it out of the way because it went better than I thought, but I did imagine it going horribly, him bringing up the past and me having a flashback, or him refusing to do it and me having no hope.

I climb back on the bed with Katniss and she snuggle next to me, laying her head on my chest.

"I'm not easy to handle, huh?"

I smile down at her. "Not at all. I swear, women these days. But you're about a million times worse."

We both laugh and try to settle in for the night. I bring Katniss closer to me and fall into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next day brings our meeting with President Paylor and I really don't want to go. I must have been a fool to have thought our days of smiling for the cameras were over. I know we can't say what we really want to say, because the people still look up to us -Katniss-. This new government is what Panem should have been, what was fair for everyone. If Coin was still alive, she claimed that this is what Panem was going to be, but we all knew she was lying and we would have had another Snow.

After forcing myself and Katniss out of bed, we get ready for the day and head down for breakfast. At this meeting, everyone who was important or involved in the rebellion will be there. All of the Victors, the brains behind our victory, and everyone else. I'm pretty sure we're only going in with the Victors, and I really hope so because there is one person I do not want to see ever again. I don't even think of his name because it might cause a bad though and that will lead to something else bad that I don't want.

When we get to the dining room everyone else is at the table except for Haymitch. Katniss and I roll our eyes and sit next to each other. Effie smiles at us and people come to serve us. I thought they were set free and the look on my face must say that because Effie explains.

"All servants were set free after the war and these people actually want to work for money and were not forced. Of course, I never knew how barbaric the Capitol people were, to treat those poor people like pariah, ugh!"

Katniss and I exchange look while Johanna just keeps eating.

"I told Johanna to wait for you two to get here, but she completely ignored me and kept eating. Why, it was quite rude of her as you can see, I tried and that's all that matters. This girl you can't tell her a thing! It was like talking to a tree stump, in one ear out the other..." Effie went on and on about how rude it was, and then she trailed onto a different subject about how she knows what's right and what's wrong now and everyone in the room looked about ready to jump off the train when Haymitch walked in and saved our butts.

"Doll face, I don't think they really care. Spare them," He says, while sitting down with surprisingly no alcohol.

"Doll face?" Johanna scoffs. "She doesn't even wear that much makeup anymore. Smells suspicious."

"Like this frog leg soup. I swear I've never smelt anything like it..." Katniss says while twirling her spoon around inside her bowl.

"No, Brainless. The soup smells just fine and I meant that Haymitch doesn't call people things like Sweetie and sugar."

"He calls me Sweetheart." Katniss says

"Yeah but he's not in love with you!" Johanna shoots back

"You think he's in love with Effie?" They start to bicker.

"No. I think he's in love with the freaking chicken on the table. Of course it's Effie!"

"Hey, I'm not stupid!"

"You're Brainless."

"If I was Brainless I wouldn't be here right now. I would be dead."

"Urgg! You're so annoying! You know what I mean.

"I won't know what you mean unless you say it," Katniss says with a smirk.

"How do you put up with her?" Johanna asks me.

"Well, it's very difficult, you have to have a lot of patience, I mean honestly I tell people she's wonderful but really she's a big pain in the-"

"Hey! I'm not a pain. I'm a pleasure to be around."

"Barely." Johanna and I say at the same time.

"You're not getting any kisses today," She mutters.

"Oh, you wouldn't dare."

"Try me! Say I'm a pleasure to be around."

"You're a pleasure to be around," I repeat desperatley.

"You love me very much."

"You love me very much." She glares at me.

"Okay okay. I love you very much and whatever else you want me to say."

I lean down and give her a kiss sweet kiss. I was going to make it longer but Johanna made a barfing sound and we broke apart.

"Don't make me hurl up my breakfast. I started eating before everyone else so I'll have more to barf up than them.

"That wouldn't have happened if you didn't start to eat before they got here!" Effie exclaims.

"I'm a grown women. I can do whatever I want." Johanna put her nose in the air.

"You act like a five year old! Effie and Johanna start to butt heads and I just keep eating.

After everything settles down and we all finish eating, well all of us except Johanna who ironically started eating first, Effie starts to tell us her schedule.

"First we have to go to President Paylor's office to have the meeting, after that we'll get the plan through our head and come back here to think about what we'll say, the next day we'll go back and present it and it'll be a filming day. They'll tell you the whole plan for the day when we get there on the second day. They don't want it to seem like we are only going because we were forced to go, so try to act like you actually want to be there. Pointing looks were thrown Johanna and Katniss's way.

"Fine," Johanna huffs. "I was really looking forward to cursing out the Capitol on live television. I wanted to say what I really felt about them."

"And that's what we're afraid of." I tell her.

She rolls her eyes and pushes her food away.

Effie tells us we have five minutes to do any last minute things and then to meet her at the elevator. Katniss and I are the only ones already ready, so we wait on the couch next to the elevator doors.

"I don't want to go." Katniss tells me. I figured she would say that, actually I k_new_ she would, since we are being forced and don't get to let loose what we really feel.

"I know, but think about what will happen after this. Plutarch will get what he wants, and we'll get to go home for a couple months. maybe years. He can't say people will think we're dead as an excuse again, and if Paylor doesn't command us to go, then we don't have to."

She sighs and grabs my hand. I don't really want to go either, and the sooner we leave the Capitol the better. From what I've seen they haven't changed at all, they just don't have as much as they used to have. A few people know what they did and how they used to live was wrong, like Effie. She acts like she only thinks it was a little wrong, but we all know her better.

I lean down and plant a kiss and Katniss's head. "It'll be alright. I promise."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'll be there to help you through it, and there's nothing we can't do together."

We sit in silence for a few minutes until everyone is at the elevator except Johanna and Effie starts screeching and freaking out until she comes and we leave.

The car waiting for us outside will take only us to President Paylor's office, and I'm glad. I know all the people in this car and consider them family. I don't really have any connections to any of the other victors except maybe Annie or Beetee. I definitely don't know or want to know Enobaria, but I know she'll be there. There are only 7 Victors left, and I don't see any of us dying soon, so I might as well get used to them. Even if Enobaria tries to bite off my neck, at least I talked to her and got to know her first.

When we arrive at a place I've never seen before, I'm surprised because I thought it would be held in President Snow's old mansion.

We get out and a man in a all blue suit escorts us to a room and types into a keypad lock. The door opens to reveal all the other Victors inside. President Paylor is sitting at a desk and there are seven chairs in front of it, and a few chairs outside of the room. The man in the Blue suit tells Effie to wait outside while the rest of us go in. Enobaria has the last seat the the left, Annie on the last seat to the right, and Beetee four seats down form Annie. I take a seat next to Annie, and smile at her. She smiles back. Katniss sits next to me and Haymitch sits next to us. Johanna sits right next to Enobaria and smirks at her. Enobaria shakes her head and looks away.

President Paylor clears her throat and we all look at her.

"Sorry for the room, There are still people out there who don't agree with what is going on and our government. No one will suspect us to meet here, if they know about the meeting at all.

I find Katniss's hand and hold on tight.

"We are all here today because the people of this nation need to know how the people who led us to victory are doing. And what better way to show that than using Victors? I'm not going to force you to say a certain thing, but we will go over your ideas. I know many of you have... certain things you think about the Capitol and certain feeling towards them. I'm not telling you to lie, but don't say anything bad. The people who want to murder you will actually have a valid reason."

Everyone stares at her for a second before getting their thoughts together and start to talk to the people around them.

"Peeta," Katniss says quietly, and I barely hear her over the noise in the room.

"Katniss?"

"Do you think," She starts chewing on her bottom lips and looks up at me. "You think she'll want you to talk about your Hijacking?"

I freeze. Will she? I really hope not. I won't get two words out before I go into a flashback.

"Maybe. We just have to be ready for it." We should have guards, lots of guards to restrain me. I know they're gonna make me do a shot with Katniss, and the more security the better I'll feel.

She shrugs and looks down.

After listening to Paylor talk about what's expected and repeat it several times, we finally get to leave. But right before we do, no surprise, she calls Katniss and I and tells us to stay back. Everyone else leaves and Haymitch sends us a worried glance before he slips out.

"Since you are the Mockingjay and a big part of the reason we won this war, the people will want to see more of you that the others. I know you're not a wiz with words, and when you speak you prefer it to be real. We'll try to find what's in your best interest to say."

She looks at me next and I gulp.

"Now, no one except the citizens of District Thirteen who gossiped and sneaked around, the doctors from Thirteen, people like me, and family and friends know about your Hijacking. I'm not going to ask you to talk about it, it's up to you. But the people need to know about this in case you... go back in time during one of our public shows. It's really up to you what you want to say, just try and slip something in there."

We take her silence as a cue to leave, and I'm not arguing. I don't want to talk about my Hijacking, But what choice do I have?

We get in the car and throw fake smiles at Haymitch who doesn't look like he buys them. As we speed away in the car, the only thing on my mind is what I'm going to say, and how many ways tomorrow can go wrong.


	14. Hello old friend

**A/N Sorry! I'm so sorry! Peeta will be saying that soon... Anyway, I am currently staying at my sisters apartment with my other sister and I've been kind of busy, so this chapter is kind of a filler, or the start of something that I've been putting off. We get to see an old... friend in this one.**

**Peeta**

When we get back to the 'suite', I go straight to Katniss's and my room. It's still pretty bright outside, and I don't feel too well. I can't stop worrying, and I just want to curl up in a blanket and snuggle my way to death.

Katniss walks in and sighs. She crosses her arms and sits on the side of the bed, next to me wrapped in my blanket.

"Peeta," Katniss says softly, while tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. "You need to stop worrying. You'll look like Haymitch before you're twenty."

I laugh softly I realized that only one thing will make me feel better.

"Come here," I say while unwrapping the blanket from around me, and when Katniss climbs in I wrap the blanket around us. She snuggles up to my chest and sighs.

"This feels nice."

"Nothing better that cuddling with my favorite person."

"That's me right?"

"No one else."

We both smile at each other and close our eyes.

The next time I wake up, Johanna is jumping up and down on our bed.

"Johanna," I whine.

"Get up."

"No"

"Okay then," She says with a smirk on her face.

She starts to jump up and down faster, and closer to us. Katniss wakes up and sees Johanna turning our bed into a bouncy house.

"Johanna!" She rolls her eyes Johanna sticks out her tongue at her.

Katniss scowls and then gets this mischievous look on her face. Then she grabs Johanna leg, pulling it towards her body.

Johanna screams and falls down on the bed on her back. Katniss laughs and I crack a smile.

"Bitch!" Johanna screams at Katniss.

I start to laugh really hard, while unwrapping the blanket from around Katniss and me. Katniss and I are laughing our heads off, and Johanna finally smiles and starts laughing too. If anyone walked in on us, they'd probably think we were drunk.

"Get...Up...Dinner," Johanna says as she struggles to regain her composure.

All three of us get up breathing hard and trying to keep our laughter down.

When we walk into the dining room, Effie is glaring at us and Haymitch is wearing a 'Where the hell were you' look on his face. Johanna, Katniss, a I look at each other and lose whatever calm nature we had. Johanna grabs the back of a chair wheezing and Katniss sinks to the ground. I just look at Haymitch with hand over my mouth while Effie, for lack of any other way to say this, shits a ring around herself.

I grab Katniss's hand and lift her off the floor and sit her down in a seat, while pulling out a chair for Johanna and sitting down myself. We all shut our mouths and focus on the food in front of us.

After a quiet dinner, Haymitch looks us over. "Whatever the hell that was, needs to be left here. You have speeches to write, and ideas to come up with." With that, he staggers off somewhere, probably to get alcohol and drink himself into oblivion.

"Yes, what he said, but please keep in mind that this will be your first appearance in a long time, well maybe not so long, but please try to make this a good appearance. This will reflect on how you are doing and how things are at home. I think we all know that the kind of government President Paylor is running is the kind we would not have gotten if the other... um,_ woman _was still in charge." She walks off dabbing a napkin to her eye.

I sigh a Katniss slips her hand into mine, and we walk towards our room, but I stop her.

"No, let's go to the roof. Maybe it'll help us think better," I suggest. She nods and we go up to the roof. It looks different, and there are a bunch of chairs and tables for people to sit on. They re- did the garden and added new, colorful flowers. I walk her over to the roof edge and we stand there looking over the edge.

"I wonder if the force field is still there." She asks. I pick up a pillow and throw it over the edge. It bounces back up. When I see it hit the force field, I feel a rushing sensation in my veins. And I immediately know what's about to happen.

Katniss must to feel it too because she looks at my face. "Peeta? Are you-"

"Run Katniss! I yell at her and grip the stone edge so hard I'm surprised the stone doesn't break. I look at her one last time and know it's too late. I know I'm gone.

I can see a bunch of images running and flying through my mind, and all of them have to do with her destroying me.

"YOU!" I yell at her and turn. Her. It's her that destroyed everything I ever cared about. She ruined my life and everything tried so hard to create. She must be eliminated before she can do something else to hurt me.

"P... Peeta, no it's not real whatever you seeing it's not real!"

Somewhere inside of me knows what she is saying is true, but it's quickly over ruled by the venom in my veins.

I walk closer to her and she steps back until her back hits a wall. The whole time she shouting 'It's not real' at me.

"Please Peeta," She says with tears in her eyes. "It's... not... real!" She's just faking. She knows what she's done and she doesn't care. I'll make her regret everything she's ever done.

Just as my hands wrap around her neck, someone grabs my shoulder and pushes me back.

**Katniss**

I know I've failed Peeta and myself when I feel his finger wrap around my throat. I see something move behind him and see a shadow behind him. The shadow grabs Peeta's shoulder and pushes him back. I gasp for breath and look up to see Gale staring right at me.

I don't know how to feel. On one hand, he just saved my life. On the other hand, he's done so many unforgivable things and I should be angry. I almost died, so I decide to think about this later.

"Are you oka-" Gale gets cut off by Peeta ripping him away from me and charging towards me again. I know he won't reach me, but I still cringe.

Gale grabs him and they start to wrestle on the ground. I can't see who's winning, but I know Peeta is. From all the time in the arena and how much he's wrestled plus military training, I know he could overpower Gale in a second. And the tracker jacker venom going through him, I know Gale won't stand a chance. I know I should help, but I can't seem to move my legs. They seem to be rooted to my spot on the ground and nothing can move them, not matter how hard I try.

I see Gale punch Peeta and snap out of whatever shock I'm in.

"STOP! Stop it!" I yell at them, but they either don't hear me, or they don't care. I rush over to them and start to pull Gale back.

"Stop it, you'll kill him!"

Gale looks at me. "But he tried to-"

"I KNOW! I know. But it isn't him right now!"

"How do you-"

"ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?" I cut him off again. Peeta is obviously have a flashback. He would never, ever hurt me when he's not himself. "He is not himself. He is having a flashback so either shut up or help me with him." Peeta is coming towards us again, and I think I know how to help him. It's a long shot, but it's not like we really have many choices.

When he almost reached us, I open my mouth and start to do something I haven't done since I was in a darker time awhile ago; Sing.

_"Deep in the meadow, _

_Under the willow._

_A bed of grass,_

_A soft green pillow."_

Peeta stops and starts to look at me, but I keep going.

_"Lay down your head,_

_And close you sleepy eyes._

_And when you awaken the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm._

_Here the daisies guard you from every harm._

_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true._

_Here is the place where I love you."_

There are more verses, but what I already sang was all Peeta needed. He looks at me and I know he's back. Then he looks at Gale and I guess he puts two and two together because he falls to the ground and starts to cry. I shoot a look at Gale and sit next to Peeta.

"Im..I'm so s... sorry," He tells me between his tears.

"Shh, no. Don't apologize. It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but I was the one who-"

"Injected the venom in you?"

"What?"

"Are you the one who put the venom in you?"

"No, but-"

"Would you have done it if you didn't have any venom in you? Would you have done it on your own?"

"No, no! Of course not!"

"Then it's not your fault."

"Okay..." He says, still not sure.

I grab him and hug him, hoping to reassure him. We sit there for a while, Peeta just cry and me holding him. The whole time, Gale just leans against one of the tables looking at us.

Peeta picks himself off the ground and somehow knows that Gale and I need to talk. I really don't want to, but I know I need to.

I'll see you later, sorry," He says and kisses my cheek, and before I can argue, he's gone.

I look over to Gale, and know I owe him an explanation, and nothing else. I hope. There's a lot of things I need to tell him, and I have to stop avoiding him. Maybe we might start to be friends. But I know I don't want that. Things were good before Gale was here and I hope they will continue to be .We were fine before right? Right?

Wrong.


	15. Words are weapons of mass destruction

**A/N**** Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I've just been too lazy to pick my butt up and write the chapter. I've been avoiding writing it for some reason, and I think I've found another way to delay writing the interview. I've also found a way to delay writing Katniss and Gale's talk. I really don't know what I want them to be yet, so it might be awhile before you get to know what happened, because I don't even know what'll happen. I've also recently finished the first Percy Jackson book. I've seen the movies of the first two books, and I used to like them but now I don't. The movie barely followed the book at all, it was like they made a movie on another book having to do with Greek Gods and Goddesses. I'm getting ****Sea of Monsters**** (the book) on Friday, which happens to be tomorrow! It starting out as a really good series, so any Percy Jackson fans out there DON'T SPOIL THE BOOKS FOR ME!**

**Any way, back to The Hunger Games, I will shut up now and let you read the chapter I haven't written yet, but I will write after I finish writing this! It's back to Peeta point of view this chapter, as it had been for a while, so on we go! Hether on! Stop stalling! Yes I'm talking to myself. Did you know that people who talk to themselves tend to be more successful? So your're not craz- Stop stalling! Okay okay here's your chapter, would you like a side of fries with tha-**

**Ok ok. Sorry!**

**Peeta**

After sensing Katniss needed to have an extremely put off talk with Gale, I decided take the long way back to go back to my- _our _room and sleep more. Hopefully Johanna bouncing on my bed won't wake me up again. My plan was I'd use the elevator to go to the lobby, then take the stairs to my room. The clear glass on the elevators has a calming effect nothing else seems to have.

When I get on the elevator, I begin to shake a little. I know that after tonight, things will be different. Will Katniss leave me for Gale? No, no. She would never do that to me. She loves me, I love her, it's simple but completely complicated stuff. I find it weird that Gale just magically came out of nowhere. He just happened to come on the roof at the same time I was about to-

I stop myself right there. I don't need to go back and re-live that moment, I think the nightmares will remind me enough.

I sigh and run my hands through my hair. It seems to be getting a bit brighter, the exact opposite of me. I feel like my thoughts have been darker as of lately, and each dark thought makes me panic. Will I go into a flashback? Why me? Why did _I _have to be Hi-jacked? All for Katniss? But I know I would gladly be Hi-jacked and go through the torture I went through a million times to save Katniss. And even if she leaves me to go with Gale, I'll be just as supportive as I was before the Quell.

But I'm not who I was before the Quell, and I will never be. I've gone through too many things, seen too many sights that will haunt me forever in my dreams, to be who I was before the Quell. It's almost an figurative line. Like, 'Oh, I would have done that before the Quell.' Almost like the quell was another time, another universe. And maybe in some sense, it is. Just another one of my time frames I'll never experience again. I'll never be that Peeta. And I'm okay with that. As long as I have the same soul, heart, and mind, I'll always be Peeta.

I guess.

My plan is thrown out the window when the elevator stops at the fourth floor. I wonder who would be getting off there. Maybe Annie? No, she couldn't handle the memories on her own so she moved in with Beetee so she didn't have to be alone. I wish she would stop making the memories seem like a waste of space, and making them hurt her. She should go to her floor and smile, at all the things she remembered about it. She'll get there one day I hope. And maybe I will too.

I'm surprised when Enobaria walks out, seeming as she is supposed to be on the second floor. Well, she isn't supposed to be, but it would make more sense.

"Hello," I say casually. "Aren't you 'spose to be on the second floor?"

She laughs and I see her gold tipped teeth have been removed, and she looks like a human being now. She is actually fairly pretty, without her fangs.

"Well, it's all a matter of where we should be and why we're not there. To many memories. Not even I could handle it."

I know what she means, seeming as she got tortured right along with us. The Capitol didn't care where she was from. It was the fact that she had information and they needed it and would do anything to get it. Except the fact they took her to her floor -the second floor- and lord knows what happened to her there.

"Yeah. I get it."

"I would expect you to. You were always the smart on in the group."

I laugh at that.

"Smart one? Yeah, okay."

"Humble one too." I open my mouth to deny it. "And you deny it, which means it's true."

I laugh again. She seems much easier to get along with now that she's not trying to kill me. I say as much.

"Yeah, well I my games," Her eyes get this far away look in them. "I was trained to kill. That's all that was on my mind. Train, kill, go home and get the glory. Things didn't turn out so well and when the end came and I- did what I got famous for, I snapped back to what I was before all that training. What I would have been in the Arena without the training. Just a girl trying to get home. Snow made his offer, I said I'd think about it, I got these golden teeth so no one would with me. I became famous for ripping throats out, and the Capitol lost all dreams to sleep with me. It was all an act, just to protect what I really was inside. Hoping that maybe one day I'd be who I am now. Just a normal girl."

She smiles at me one last time before leaving. I'd always wondered about Careers, how heartless they could be in their blood lust. I guess now I know. I've never really been friends with Enobaria, but I've never really gotten the chance the really meet her. It helps me keep my mind of other things I don't want to think about.

The rest of my plan goes smoothly, and I fall into a deep sleep, hoping to leave the day and everything behind.

* * *

I wake up to a knock on the door. After yelling "Come in", one of the attendants tells me I'm wanted in the living room.

I woke up feeling refreshed for some reason I don't know. I need to go to the living room, so I quickly rub the sleep out of my eyes. Katniss is no where in sight and I didn't hear her sneek in like I know she did, so I get up and look at the clock. It's a quarter 'till 8 AM.

When I get out there, everyone is in their pajama's. Or... frilly thing as to what Effie is wearing. It looks like a tu-tu attached to a pink onesie with no sleeves.

Katniss is sitting on a love seat by herself, Haymitch it sitting next to Effie on a three person couch. Johanna has chosen the floor, even though there are plenty of open seats.

I sit as far as Katniss as I can on a love seat, but the people who made this couch must have though I wanted her to be sitting in my lap. If it was under different circumstances, yes, I would have wanted her to be on my lap. I can't help but wonder how her talk with Gale went. I would ask, But after yesterday, I don't want to hurt her. Physically at least, because I hear her sigh and run her fingers through her long dark brown hair. It goes to right above her waist since it's grown back, and I have a strong urge to touch it's smooth surface. I love it when she wears her hair down and she knows it. My hands start shaking with the need to run my fingers through it. I don't think I have that privilege anymore. She probably doesn't even want to sit next to me.

Suddenly, she grabs my hands and does what I wanted to do with her hair. I let out a sigh of content. She smiles like she knows the effect she has on my, when she really doesn't know the half of it. She's wearing a white tank top, with dark blue shorts with little slits on the side.

Why, oh why does she do this to me.

She starts smiling more and lets a little laugh escape, and leans her lips toward my ear.

"Later," She whispers.

I smile and take one of her hands. We still have problems we need to work through, but she looks really beautiful right now. Her eyes twinkle and her smile could kill me with its brightness.

"Ahem."

Haymitch glares at us, but deep, deep, way down deep, like _waaay_ down there, I know he cares about us, and is happy for us.

"If you're done their, I have something to say."

"You have our full attention." I say.

"The interview was supposed to be today," Wait, so it was canceled? I'm not complaining. "But there has been a... huge bump in the road and we cannot do it. We all have to get into gear and strap on that old battle suit. I'm looking a you three, by the way. They expect us to help them, and we also need to be careful. They might get us too. So-"

"Listen old man," Johanna glares at him. "Cut the crap and tell us straightforward what the hell is going on!"

While he takes in a deep breath, mine has stopped completely by what he says next.

"The president has been kidnapped."

* * *

**A/N So I stopped doing this I usually do this at the top only, but I need to do this again. So, I wrote this chapter just now, and right after Peeta went to sleep, I ate a dinner of chicken inside a taco shell bowl. It was good, but anyway not everything is about food (I'm lying). I came up with the idea when I started writing. I didn't really want to write the interview, so I stalled and this is what happened. I knew I had to have a reason to have them not do it, and a damn good one at that. They love their Mockingjay. Don't we all? So I first though maybe I could have the President kidnapped. So I did. I guess good things come out of stalling and putting off things. Things will get interesting, and we'll see what'll happen next. I don't know anymore than you guys do right now, and I'm just making it up as I go. I seem to work best that way. You might need a summary to keep up with what will happen, so I'll do a summary for you!**

**So, Peeta has had a bad start to the day, and is slowly learning to stop worrying about Katniss. While Katniss might have to put the wings she never took off back on, if that makes any sense at all. She has also had a mysterious chat with Gale. Hmm, I wonder what happened, because I have no idea! Johanna is being her usual self, while Enobaria has revealed her deep secret to Peeta, because come on, he's so easy to talk to you could get away with killing the president but you couldn't get away with not telling him. No pun intended, no The president hasn't died... but she could. Effie is getting her ballerina on, while Haymitch is steady trying to build suspense with out tools. The elevators are still cool, and our friends here are in for a ride!**


	16. We go together, or not at all

**A/N**** So, a few minutes ago, btw it's 5:17 PM on August 3rd, anyway! A few minutes ago I decided to eat some strawberry toaster strudels. (I promise it gets more interesting!) So I ate two, and while I was eating them I got this great idea of how this whole, you got my president fiasco is going to end! I'm still working out the kinks, hello, it's only been a couple minutes, but remember when I said the story would have a lot more to do with Peeta? Well I kinda scrapped that when I canceled the interview, but remember that! I made it have a different meaning, and if I'm right you guys will love what happens! The only bad part is I have no idea how to get to the end, I only know how it gets solved. Oh, and this does not mark the end of this story, it still has a long way to go! Waaaaay down the road and farther, so don't worry! Do you guys think I've been doing too much Peeta? Wait, how could you ever have too much ****_Peeta_****? It's like having too much air, and you need it! Anyway, Peeta gets to shine, and Katniss and the 'ole gang have their moments! Well, they will, because I haven't even written it yet and I have NO IDEA what I'm doing but I'll get there!**

**Woah, long A/N, sorry! I think I've only written one this long for this story once, which happened to be the last chapter... Anyway, onward with the story! I'm actually excited to write this chapter, as you can see by all the explanation points I used! (I did it again.) Oh, and there are a few... words that you should beware of, because Johanna is... well, Johanna so be cautious of her cursing!**

**Peeta**

The presidents been kidnapped?!

I don't think I've ever been so surprised in my life, which is really, _really_ saying something if you think about it.

Everyone is silent with gaping mouths, and I thought the silence would go on forever until Effie pipes up.

"They took her? Well, that's not polite!"

If it was under different circumstances, I might have laughed. But now I don't know whether to cry or to say something.

Johanna saves the day, quite literally, because we would have stayed there all day just open and closing our mouths like fish, and Haymitch was just looking at his shoes like he burn a hole through them if he tried hard enough.

"What? They what? Paylor? But she was... she was just... we just saw her yesterday!"

Haymitch directs his hole burning gaze to Johanna. "Yeah, no duh Johanna. Things can change in a day," He says, unimpressed.

Johanna jumps up and points her finger in his face. "Listen old man! Don't get smart with me. How did you expect me to react? Did you think I would say wow and go skip through the fucking daises while rainbows dance above my head? I'm not Annie so get it straight!" **(A/N Idk why I said this, she doesn't hate Annie and I don't either, I love Odesta, their one of my otps, but Johanna just says what's on her mind, so don't get offended because I think we all love her, and Johanna does too!)**

I finally close my mouth.

"Who did it?" Katniss asks.

"If I knew, I would tell you and the president would be back. So I have no clue," Haymitch says, not fazed by Johanna's outburst. Maybe it's because he's gotten used to it, because I have.

"Why would they, whoever they are, do that? And how would they get away with it? Doesn't she have like, a whole team of guards dedicated to keeping her safe?" I decide to say, since I was the only one who was quiet.

"Yeah, but we think they did it while she was sleepi-"

"We?" Johanna, Katniss, and I ask at the same time.

"Yes, a team of investigators told me. That's how I found out, and how the media probably will too. Unless someone leaks data."

"How would they even find her? She lives in a regular house right?" Effie asks.

"No, Dollface. If you had a mansion wouldn't you use it?"

That's... peculiar. They kidnapped her in the mansion, when she was sleeping. But that doesn't make any sense because there are guard guarding her bedroom 24/7, on rotating shifts. How would they get inside the bedroom and the guards not know? Last time I was there, I didn't see any windows in the presidents room. When I asked Presi- Snow about it, he said it was an easy way to get kidnapped.

"That makes zero sense. President snow doesn't have any windows in his room," Katniss says, jumping onto my conclusion.

"Yeah, it prevents getting kidnapped. They either have to bust down the doors or the walls, or take the whole room off." I say.

"But the guards would be sure to notice."

"Unless they weren't doing their job."

"Or unless she didn't sleep in his room. I wouldn't want to be in that bed."

"Yeah, but the other rooms have windows, and President Paylor isn't stupid enough, or arrogant enough to risk it," Katniss and I start talking to each other instead of the others.

"Which means either the guards weren't paying attention,"

"Or they knocked them out using sleeping gas."

"But the guards are prepared for that. Nothing but the best for the president."

"So if the guards were prepared, why didn't they save or help her? They're as dedicated as Peacekeepers. And there are guards in and outside her room,"

"So if there is no way in, the only people that could have done it is,"

"The guards," Katniss and I say at the same time.

"But why wait this long? If there are a bunch of Victors in the Capitol and we have all the attention-"

"That's why they did it now!" I exclaim. "All the attention was on us, so while we were strutting our stuff, they swooped in and stole her at the vulnerable time."

Katniss and I take in a deep breath and smile at each other. I'm not sure if the conclusion we came to is true, but it's the only one we have. I'm also happy that we're back to knowing each other better than we knew ourselves. I was afraid we be broken beyond repair. You could say we're like two pieces in a puzzle. We go together, or not at all.

I look at everyone else and see Haymitch thinking it over, Effie fluffing her tu-tu, and Johanna glaring at us.

"How do you know what the inside of the mansion looks like?" Johanna asks.

Katniss and I exchange a glance.

"When the... the w-war ended, and I was in the Capitol I stayed in the mansion until the shooting of Snow, before I was thrown here, of course. I used to wander around the mansion, and one day I found his room."

"He took me there when I was in the Capitol after the games, and we used to play chess. That was a week before I did the interview and moved into my five star hotel," I tell her, sarcastically at the end.

"Oh." She looks like she wants to say more, but she doesn't.

"Oh my poor babies!" Effie bounces over to us and we share emotional hug. She somehow has always been mothering us, and now we consider her one.

"It's okay Effie," I reassure her. "The past is in the past, and I do no want to go back."

"Okay, enough of that, whatever that was. We'll go over your theory more later, I have a meeting with the investigators, and whatever happens, do not leave this building or so help me..."

"Okay, okay we get it." Johanna rolls her eyes. She seems to have calmed down somewhat.

Haymitch leaves, Effie goes to her room, and the three of us left just sit there.

We sit until Johanna breaks the silence.

"Sorry. I didn't know that. I hate to live in my own memories. It fucks you up."

Johanna apologizing only happens once every few years, so she must really mean it.

"It must suck," She continues. "Being here right now when you went through a hard time here. That's how it felt to be in the Arena, but no one understood. You did a lot of things for this fucked up country, but I won't

congratulate you because I know you hate it and it's not my style. But really, you're hard to hate when you really get to know you. Except the people in power seem to think different."

She smiles a little smile, and walks off.

I just sit there, my mouth like a fish out of water again.

Great

* * *

I decide to go take a nap. I just woke up and all this bad news is really getting to me. If I'm sleeping, I don't have to think about it, but the nightmares are worse than my reality.

I leave Katniss to her thoughts, and go lie down. No matter how hard I try, I just can't fall asleep.

I try harder.

Still nothing.

After about an hour, Katniss comes in and tells me she's going down to the pool they installed right next to the building. I tell her to be careful, and she tells me she's always been.

I start to worry. Haymitch told us not to leave the building, and there are kidnapper guards out there. What if one of the guards here Kidnap someone? The people who kid napped the president want the games to be back on, so why would they kidnap one of us? But they would want the person who'd ended the games, they'd want them to suffer. And isn't the pool outside the building?

"Katniss!"

I jump out of the bed so quick I fall on the floor. Katniss left about half an hour ago, and if she's not at the pool then she's been kidnapped to. Not in my lifetime.

I don't even put on a shirt or change, I just run to the elevator with my pajama pants on. It won't open no matter how many time I hit the buttons, so I take the stairs. I almost slip three times, and when I hit the bottom I run through the lobby past startled residents, who stare at me like I've lost my sense. And some of those girls are looking at my chest like they shouldn't be. If Katniss were here, they'd have melted under her gaze.

I burst out the door and run the the entrance of the pool. When I near the door, I hear talking, and people screaming, and behind all that, I hear a voice, a familiar voice...

"Get off me!"

That was Katniss!

I try to open the door but it's locked. I bang on the door but it doesn't budge. I didn't come all this way for nothing. There's a little glass rectangle on the door, and I can see what's happening. The people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time are huddled in a corner. And three buff guys in all black are grabbing... what looks like Enobaria? And Katniss.

"Katniss!" I yell hoping she'll hear me. No such luck.

I can hear her perfectly, but she cant hear me.

One of the guys grabs her by her throat and slams her against the wall.

I start yelling and pounding harder, because I can't stand to see her like this again. Katniss in pain is like a bullet through the heart.

She starts fighting harder to escape, and Enobaria starts defending her and fighting the other guys.

She starts gasping and the guy laughs.

"Don't try. We've got you now."

I scream in rage.

"Got nothing to say? Oh well. You never were one to have anything important to say."

"I have something to say this time," She wheezes.

"What?" He sneers.

She lifts up her arm. "I got your knife."

She stabs his hand and he let's go and holds his hand.

She falls and starts gasping.

"You never were one to be smart."

I don't know why they tried to mess with Katniss, but when it comes to her, I'll do anything, and I'm really pissed right now. So I take off my prosthetic leg, and whack the doorknob handle with it until the knob comes off. I quickly clasp my leg back on and bust into the room.

I run over to Katniss and push the guy that grabbed her neck back, and grab his arms, and twist them behind his back, and I pull his arms so hard, I'm pretty sure they pop right out their sockets.

"Don't touch her!"

The other two guys don't even acknowledge that guy on the ground, and Katniss kicks one of the guys in his sweet spot so hard it make me cringe.

I grab Katniss and hug her in in bone crushing hug.

"The next time you wanna go for a swim, use the bathtub."

Enobaria comes over to us when I let go.

"I just happened to be here reading my book when Katniss showed up, and these guys came in and started attacking her. I've never really gotten to know you, I know, but us Victors have to watch out for each other.

There are only Seven of us left."

"Thank you, Enobaria. You're a lot nicer than I though. I think we could be friends," Katniss says.

"Me too."

The guy from the front desks comes bursting in with two guards, and they take the guys away. The citizens look at us as if we'd just saved the world. I didn't save _the_ world, but I saved _my_ world. I saved Katniss.

When the three us of get on the elevator, we invite Enobaria to our floor.

"I've nothing else to do."

We we get up there, Johanna jumps up off the couch, and screams at us.

"What were you thinking! Brainless, that name really fits you, doesn't it! You scared us to death, we though you were dead, oh my god. Do that again and I will kill you, bring you back to life just so I can kill you again! You dumb fuck!"

She squeezes Katniss and when she let's go, she looks at Enobaria as if noticing she was there for the first time.

"What is she doing here?"

I raise my arms. "No cat fights. We invited her here, so if you could try to get along with her, we'd greatly appreciate it. Not like you've ever listened to us before, but she's different now," I point at Enobaria. "And no trying to kill her. Remember, us Victors have to watch out for each other. And Johanna is one of us."

Effie bursts in the room, having thankfully changed out of her tu-tu pajama's, into a pale pink knee length dress, and a suit jacket.

"Oh, my children! I was so worried! I heard what happened and I'm so sorry! If those men think they can get away with messing with my children, they can think again! I'll gladly dispose of them before I allow them to touch you. Mo one messes with my kids!"

I laugh and hug her tight. She really is our mother, seeming as none of ours are around right now, and the rest will never be.

Effie leaves to watch TV, and the four of us sit in the living room talking.

"You think the guards did it?" Enobaria asks after I tell her about Katniss's and my theory.

"Yes. How else? We really need better protection in this country. Seriously, it's like they don't even care," I say.

After about an hour, Haymitch comes back, and just about strangles us.

"What the hell do you not understand about do no leave the building! It's always you, Sweetheart! Why can't you stay out of trouble? It's like you want me to die from a heart attack. And you!" He points at me. "You just let her go out of the building? You're usually the one that listens, so she mush be rubbing off on you. We can't have that, we need to reverse it. These children I swear..." He shakes his head and walks out.

"Well, he didn't say anything to me!" Johanna says.

"Because for once you actually listened. He probably just about died," Enobaria tells her.

"Better than you. Your teeth look nice, by the way."

"Thanks, I had them whitened."

Johanna laughs. Actually laughs.

"Yes, because that's what I meant.

I think this might be the beginning of a very beautiful friendship.

* * *

**A/N**** I just about died from excitement writing this chapter, and my finger were flying across the keyboard! Thank you for your reviews! They were awesome, and I loved them. They make my day! On to the summary!**

**Katniss and Peeta can read each others minds, while Effie has style! Katniss totally kicked butt today, and Peeta turned protective of her, and I think we all love protective Peeta! Haymitch is going to die if those darn kids keep putting him through hell. Enobaria made some friends, and Johanna actually cares, and listened for once in her life! Effie had some new kids, and the Victors come together. That ends day One of the, Who's got my president fiasco! Stay tuned.**


	17. Weird dreams and pancake theives

**A/N **

**Ok, so I owe you guys a biiiiiiiiiiig explanation! So, there's been a storm around where I live at, and our internet had been acting up, but it's good now. So I was writing the story, but it wouldn't save and it just randomly shut off the computer, so that didn't save. Then, when I tried to write again, my computer decided to randomly updated and my work didn't save, then a few days later I realized the internet hadn't been acting up, the internet button on the computer was just turned off! That was just some... crap, even though I'd like to use other words. So I'm here now, and I'm soooooooo sorry for the late update, so I added in a little KP for you guys!**

**Peeta**

After Enobaria left, I went straight to bed. The events of the day really made me tired, so I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. That didn't stop the dreams from coming though.

_I was in a room with white walls, and white floors. Everything in the room that I could see was white, except for a splatter of red on the floor, which I assume was blood. It was still pretty fresh, maybe a day or two old. My moth was dry, and my tongue felt like sandpaper. I was lying on a white table, with restrains on my arms and legs. I tried to move, but I couldn't. I just lied there unable to do anything._

_Two guys dressed in white uniforms walked in the room holding some type of remote control. One guy had a mustache, and the other one had a clean, shaven face._

_"...hmm. Yes, sir," The one without a mustache says into a microphone attached to an ear piece. "No, not yet. We still don't know if it will work. I know it was invented by District Three, but they are still not smarter than me-"_

_"Shut up Leon. You didn't invent that or anything of use so shut up. You aren't even smarter than a toothpick."_

_"Like you can talk! You almost set the testing lab on fire."_

_"Well at least I got that far! You couldn't even-"_

_The man talking to the guys through the earpiece yelled so loud I heard his voice talking. Well, parts of his voice._

_"... Idiots... Incoherent fools... you had... job! Don't mess... up... did last time! The ... is awake... use... Torture device... gave you! If you... up, it'll be... on that table. Got it!"_

_"Yes sir!"_

_"But sir-"_

_The screaming got louder._

_"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME! YOU DO... I SAY. MESS UP... YOU ON... TABLE. GET TO IT."_

_A beep sounded and both guys took out their ear pieces._

_"Man, he's a real psychopath." Mustache guy said._

_"Yeah, we should have signed up for the other girl. Their commander doesn't screech at his workers. And I do love water."_

_I guess they were talking about Johanna. I don't know what happened to her, but every time she came back she was dripping wet and shaking. I could just make out a few screams. They hadn't done much to me yet, just questioning and a few hits, but I was fine._

_"Now onto the fun!" The guy without the mustache said._

_I gulped._

_Fun?_

_They both walked over to me, which the device in their hands. They pressed a button and my table raised up, so I was in a sitting position._

_"Oh, yeah. It'll be a lot of fun for us. But not for you."_

_I tried to speak, but I couldn't seem to move my lips or my body._

_"Oh, it's just a little something so you wont try anything. We've heard how... strong you are, so we decided why take the risk. You can't move."_

_If I can't move, how will they question me? Then I remember what the guy on the earpiece said. _

_Torture..._

_They pressed another button and a whole wall filled with weapons and other things I couldn't even name showed up._

_I would squirm if I could move. But I can't. So I just stay still._

_The guy with the mustache walks over to a huge knife and brings it to me. _

_"Oh the fun."_

_He starts to laugh, and brings the knife to my arm._

I wake up with a start. I look over to my left and see Katniss still sleeping. That dream really messed me up. But something about it felt real, like it actually happened. I remember those two guys, and the room. I know what they did to me. That dream wasn't a dream, It was a flashback.

I didn't even know it was possible. It wasn't like the flashbacks of what the Capitol showed me with the venom, it was like a real flashback. I went back in time in my dream, and relived a moment.

I could have gone my whole life without ever seeing that again, and I hope I do.

Wait... If I can hurt Katniss while I'm awake having a flashback, did I hurt her while I was asleep?

I quickly look over to her, and she looks peaceful as ever, until I see the hand shaped bruise marks on her neck. I almost start crying, but then I remember the guy from yesterday. I sigh in relief and get out of the bed.

The clock says it's around 9:45, which is late by my standards. Usually I'd be up baking, but without the Bakery open I'm starting to get a little off track with my sleeping schedule.

When I get to the dining area, no one is there. Effie left a note saying she went shopping for her friends daughter, (that's what she said in the most basic way. She went on for three whole pages about how excited she was) And she said Haymitch was seen leaving the kitchen with three bottles of liquor, so he's probably knocked out somewhere.

I hear a weird noise that sounds suspiciously like snoring, but I don't see anyone so I sit down and immediately get served eggs, toast with jam, bacon, rolls, pancakes, waffles, and a variety of juices. The pancakes look so good, my mouth starts watering, but I decide to save the best for the last. After finishing off my everything but my pancakes, Katniss walks in rubbing the sleep our of her eyes and looking so adorable in my long sleeved shirt which looks like a sweater dress that comes up to about mid- thigh.

"Good morning, love."

"Ooh, whats with the 'love' part?" She asks.

"I don't know. I just felt like saying it."

"Well, good mornin... are those pancakes?"

She stops midway through her greeting and takes _my _plate of pancakes.

I just stare at her open mouthed as she eats my three pancakes, which were topped with syrup, strawberries, whipped cream, raspberries, and a sprinkle of spices at the top. They looked so delicious when I saw them I was going to save them for last.

"What?" She finally looks at me after finishing the second pancake.

"You... You just stole my pancakes. I... I was gonna eat those."

She blinks.

"Oops. Well they are sooooo good. Here, you want some?"

She cuts a piece away from the third pancake and feeds it to me.

"Mmm, they really are good."

She laughs at me, and I notice something that makes me laugh.

"You've got a little something right here," She has some whip cream on her nose, and she looks so adorable I just can't stand it, so I kiss the whip cream off her nose, and give her a long kiss.

"You're lips taste like a thief's lips," I tell her.

"Sorry, -not really- I just looooove pancakes. You never make them enough for me."

"Well sorry, I'll be sure to make some for you so you won't steal mine."

She leans in and gives me a sweet, drawn out kiss that leaves my stomach tingling.

I feel something brush against my leg, but it's probably just Katniss's leg.

Katniss suddenly laughs.

"Good thing Johanna isn't here. She would have had a fit if she saw this."

"She isn't but I am."

I jump so hard I fall out of my chair, and see Haymitch, with a bottle in his hand, lying under the table.

"Haymitch! What the... what are you doing! Crazy man!" I say. I guess that wasn't Katniss's leg brushing against me.

"You two, while lovable, are the most annoying couple I've ever seen."

"Hey, at least we don't have nicknames for each other.

"Well, I call you love and Kat sometimes. Even though I'd like to cal you other things, like honeypie, sugarbear, lovebug..."

Katniss blushes. "Oh my gosh, Peeta, you're such a romantic."

"Would you let me call you those name?"

"Not even when I'm dead."

"Okay. Honeypie."

Haymitch shakes his head -with a smirk I add- and walks out.

Katniss gives me a, 'uhh no' look, and eats the last of my pancakes.

"Mmm so good."

I frown at her. "Those were _mine._"

She smirks at me. "You snooze you loose, Sugarbear."

**A/N**** Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews, and to _Ani,_ yes I do actually get to read you're reviews, which are wonderful! Onto the summary!****Peeta is having weird dreams, and fantasizing about pancakes. Katniss is look great in Peeta;s shirt, and stealing people's food, which we will see a lot more later in the story. Effie really loves to write and has the time to do it, and Haymitch like sleeping under tables. Johanna is nowhere to be found, Enobaria is living with the fishes, and Gale is... wherever he is, the talk with Katniss still isn't coming to me! It'll get here, no doubt, just not anytime soon. Till the next time, which will be waaaaaaay shorter, and I usually try to post once a week if I can, btw. Reviews are always welcome!**


	18. Why are you screamin- OH MY GOD

**A/N**** Hey guys! I'm trying to be cheery, but it's hard when this stupid computer keeps deleting what I write! It keeps randomly closing the browser out, like wtf! Then on top of that, my school is giving out a lot of homework like hello, it's only like the sixth week! I would have updated soooo much earlier, but our internet box wasn't working and I had used so mush data my mom threatened to shut our phones off! I couldn't have that, not when I had just gotten into tumblr! That's right, I though I wasn't going to like it, but it's great! And Instagram is practically built off tumblr and Twitter. The funny text posts account get the posts they use from tumblr and Twitter! But anyway, everything is cool now. The internet is working, the data is reset, my computer seems fine, but we'll see. Ugh, I'm so sorry guys! **

**Peeta**

The day had started out like any other day. I woke up, ate breakfast, and hung out in the living room with Katniss and Johanna. It was a beautiful day outside, the sun was shining, and the sky was a clear, light blue. The day couldn't have gotten any better if it tried.

So naturally, it got worse.

"How are thing back in seven?" Katniss asked Johanna.

"Good. The rebuilding team doesn't suck as much as I thought they would, which is good for the houses they're building. I still live in the Victors mansion, since, hello, it's big as shit and all my stuff is there."

"Are you ever gonna move out?"

"No. Or, I don't know yet. If I see a better option, I might. But I don't know right now."

"If you ever have childr-"

Katniss was cut off by Annie running onto our floor screaming her head off.

"Annie!" We all jump up and run over to her.

"What's wrong?" I shout.

"Why are you here?" Johanna yells.

"Why are you wearing a plaid dress with striped socks?" Katniss shouts.

We all turn to Katniss.

"Huh?"

"What? I'm just saying. Anyway, what's wrong, Annie?"

"Sp-Sp-Sp-"

"What?" Johanna says. "Sparta? Spa? Spit-take? Spontaneous? JUST SAY IT WOMAN!"

She just screams louder and runs out the room.

So we all follow her.

I was expecting something scary, like a big guy with a gun, or a lion in her room. But what I thought didn't even begin to prepare me for what I saw.

I walk onto the third floor since Annie is staying there, and I stop in my tracks, and let out the biggest, shrillest, highest scream ever.

I turn around to run out the room, but Johanna grabs my shoulder in the midst of her screaming.

The only person not screaming is Katniss. She just looks at us and laughs like it's funny.

"Why are you laughing? LAUGHING for gods sake? Do you not see that... that thing!" Johanna yells at Katniss.

Lying there in the wall, is the biggest spider I've ever seen. When I say big you think about palm size right?

Wrong.

That thing is bigger than my face.

It's just stuck on the wall like it's sleeping or something. I feel about ready to pass out.

"What is that?"

"It's probably an Australian spider." Katniss replied to Johanna.

"Australian? Then what's it doing in Panem?" Annie murmured softly.

She seemed to have calmed down a little, and I know our screaming didn't help her.

"It must have stowed away on a ship here or something." Johanna says.

"How do we kill it?" I ask.

"We don't."

"What?" I look at Katniss.

"We're not gonna kill it. Look at it's face, and tell me you can kill that."

I look into it's beady compound eyes and almost pass out. She thinks it's cute?

"You... you can kill animals, little adorable baby squirrels, but you can't kill a... a... that?"

Katniss laughs.

"No, you idiot. I mean we can't kill it because it's fangs are huge. That thing could kill us in one bite if we even attempted to stab it."

"Ok... so what do we do.?"

"We capture it." She says as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ok..." I say. "How do we capture it? Hmm?"

"We sat a trap and hope it falls in it."

"Ok, wise girl. How do we set the trap? And what trap can be big enough that it can capture that spider?"

"Oh, that thing is no bigger than a rabbit... a really fat rabbit. It will be different, since spiders don't hope on two legs... Hmm," Katniss start rubbing her chin and gets this faraway look in her eyes

"Ok. I got a plan."

* * *

Katniss's plan scares me to death. I have no idea what's gonna happen, and I honestly don't want to be there to find out.

All of us are huddled by the elevator, just in case we need to make a quick escape.

We put a lizard on the floor, and we're waiting for the spider to smell it.

After a few killing seconds, the spider scuttles down the wall fast as lightening, and starts to wrap a web around the lizard. just as it pulls the lizard to itself using the web, the metal box fall on it.

We all start making sounds of success, until we notice the spider running towards us at just about the sound of light, that is.

We all scream and hop into the elevator, even Katniss does. We keep slamming the close button trying to get it to hurry up. Just as the spider reaches the elevator, the doors close.

We all run out of the elevator when it opens, and we end up outside. We all look at each other and fall on the ground laughing our stomachs off. That was the craziest and scariest thing I will ever do.

"I... I hate you so much, Katniss," Annie says, once she caught her breath.

"Sorry. I didn't know it could move that fast. It should still be under that box, if I'm right."

"Let's just call someone from the lobby. I don't feel like getting another heart attack. I'll face hold hearted killers, but spiders I will not." Johanna says.

"I'm with you. I'll face a psychotic murderer over that thing any day." I agree with Johanna.

Johanna turns to Katniss. "How are you not afraid of that thing?"

She shrugs. "I've seen worse. Once, I went so deep in the woods that I found a pack of cats in there. Scared the living hell out of me."

"Cats? You're afraid of cats?" Johanna laughs.

"Oh no. Not the cats you're thinking of. I'm talking lions, cheetahs, jaguars... those cats."

Johanna pales. "Oh. Oh. Ok, you're just being annoying now. We get it, you've faced bears and scary animals before. Probably sleep next to one every night."'

I feign offendance.

"Hey!"

Katniss smiled. "Oh, there was this one time-"

"Ok! Ok, you're awesome, we're scared. Can we go call that guy now? I live there." Annie says, and we all head back to the lobby together there.

We find Enobaria rushing towards us.

"Oh my god! I heard the screaming. Are you guys ok?"

"No!" Johanna and I shout at the same time Katniss shouts, "Yes!"

"What happened?"

We all look at each other.

"See, what had happened was..."


	19. Weird questionings and rekindled friends

**A/N**** Hey guys! So I'm back, and posting at regular times again, once a week. There was a freak storm yesterday, and it was said to have hit North Carolina, but I don't really know. I live in South Carolina, and in my area it rained a lot, and the power went out on and off for two days, but it's on now, and it'll stay on. Near the Harbor in Downtown, it is flooded. Like, water so high it's getting into houses and pushing over cars. My grandma's yard got so flooded that it went in her house. My house was fine, just some puddled in the backyard, since I don't live so close to the Harbor. But anyway, Iv'e found a way to get my lazy butt out of my room and write! I hope the power doesn't go out, because the laptop I'm using has a messed up power cord, so it has to be plugged in to turn on. I know, I know, stupid, but it's kinda old. It's still fast (kind of) and reliable, so I won't need another one for a couple (three at the most) years.**

**Anyway, onward with the story! This shall be in Katniss's point of view, because I feel like I've evened out the score, so it's fair game for the point of views now. I'm still going to do a bit more Peeta than Katniss, since he has a big role to play. I might even throw in a Johanna, or any of the other victor's point of views, maybe even Effie if you want, so let me know. Oh! And you finally -heh heh- get to know what happened between Gale and Katniss.**

**Katniss**

I slept peacefully last night, which was weird considering I was in my least favorite place. Maybe it's like reverse physiology or something. Good place, bad dreams. Bad place, good dreams.

I wanted to say I woke up with the sun shining through the window, while birds were chirping and a butterfly landed on my finger as I stretched and started singing.

But the truth is I woke up to rain outside with my hair going every which way. **(****A/N**** He he, TV show reference.)**

It had come out of my poorly done braid, and I might have drooled a little. And to top it all off, Haymitch was shaking my shoulder while yelling at me when I said five more minutes. He threatened to take away my breakfast, so I might or might not have punched him in the gut and told him to shut up.

To make things worse, he didn't even wake Peeta up. He just walked out hunching over -he he- and told me to hurry up.

I groan and shake Peeta's shoulder.

"Hey, get up!"

"In a second," He muttered, still half asleep.

"No! Now."

"Ugh, later!"

Fed up with him, I got out of bed, walked over to his side, and yanked the blanket off of him.

Mind you, he sleeps with no shirt on, so I was kind of distracted when he got up touched my hair.

I jump back.

"ohmygosh don't do that!"

He raises an eyebrow.

"Do what? I didn't do anything to startle you. I was waving my hand in front of your face, quite clearly, actually."

I blushed and looked down. "Right, right..."

"What were you looking at?"

"Nothing," I mutter.

He gasps, looking hurt.

"You're calling my beautiful chest nothing? Oh, I can't believe you."

He picked up my hands and pressed them against his chest.

"You love it now, don't you?"

I was having trouble keeping my hands from roaming his chest, so I mentally slapped myself.

That didn't really help, so my response was something like, "Uhh... yah."

"Hey! Stop flirting, making out, humping-"

"Haymitch!" Effie horrified voice rang out as my face burned bright as lava.

"-Or whatever you're doing, and get your asses out here!"

Peeta and I quickly got dresses, and I some-what brushed my hair and braided it, so it looked a little messed up, like a small cat mauled me instead of a bear, but I didn't really care. I was wearing dark blue jeans, with a red spaghetti strap tank top, and a black long sleeved cardigan that went to my knees. I think all my time in the Capital has influenced my taste.

Should I be worried?

When we got to the dining room, everyone was sitting down waiting for us.

"About time," Johanna muttered.

We sat down and ate, while listening to Effie talk about the latest news.

"Oh, the new rebuilding? It looks amazing! Can't say the same for the managers hair, though. It looked like a rat chewed her hair out then spat it back on her head! But anyway, if the Districts get built like they should, which they will since I'm on the job, they'll look amazing!"

I raise my eyebrows.

"You're doing the rebuilding?"

"Kind of. I'm managing the rebuilding efforts. So I just might be in you district soon, since the... you know."

"Since the what?" Johanna asked.

"Since the 'bombing.'" I mouthed the last word at Johanna and sent Peeta a worried glance. He smiled reassuringly at me.

Effie went on, until she was interrupted by Haymitch.

"Ok, looks like we're all done. I'll explai-"

"Really?!" Johanna shot him a glare. "Do you not see me with this big ass pancake? You little-"

"-Why we're all here." He says, ignoring Johanna

"Umm, to eat? I asked honestly. "Because that's why I'm here."

"Well, yeah. but also to discus the bigger matter. We have a interrogation- er, _questioning_ today after breakfast, so hurry up."

He glared pointedly at Johanna.

Ugh. I groaned. A questioning? Really? I hope it'll help find out where our president has gone, yes, but what do we know?

We quickly scraped up the last bits of food, and made sure we were presentable before leaving.

There was already a car waiting for us outside, so we didn't have to wait. The rain hadn't let up yet, so we had to go back and get our umbrellas. Mine was black, with one red stripe going up the side, so I was good.

We got in, and I gripped Peeta's hand.

How horrible can today go?

I looked at him, and he smiled at me. When I didn't smile back, he frowned at me.

"It'll be okay. Before you ask how I know, just remember that whatever comes our way we can get through together."

He gives me a sweet kiss, and I really need to relax a bit, so when he tries to pull away, I pull him in for a deeper kiss.

Johanna, who's sitting next to us in the back of the car, looks at us and makes a gagging noise.

I ignore her, and make out- er... kiss Peeta the whole way there. By the time we arrive, my hair is a mess, well more of a mess, I'm breathing hard, my clothes are disheveled, and my whole face is red from the lack of oxygen.

The ride seemed to take hours, even though I'm pretty sure it was just ten minutes.

We pulled up at the same place we met at last time.

I got out, trying to swallow down my nerves. Peeta must have felt the same way, because he squeezed my hand and gave me a smile that seem to say, _we'll get through this together._

Johanna comes up next to us. "Remind me to never sit next to you guys in a car again."

I blush while she walks away.

We walked inside the building to see quite a few chairs. There were already some people sitting in them.

Annie was there, so was Beetee, and a few people who worked for Paylor.

And so was he... _Gale._

I didn't really know how to feel after our last talk, seeming as our talks never seem to go good. I still don't know what to call us.

_I sigh. I can't keep avoiding, this forever, even though I wish I could. **(A/N How I felt before writing this, although it wasn't bad. It was quite enjoyable, actually. Omg, what's with all the 'quites', and fancy words?)**_

_I still wasn't sure how to feel about the whole Prim thing. I had learned to stop feeling a bunch of emotions when I though of her. Instead of it feeling like a 100,000,000 pound truck him me, it fells like a little pain in my heart. I was trying really hard to forgive him, because of our past, and the fact that I know he wouldn't hurt a hair of Prim's head if he had a choice._

_"How long has this been going on?" Gale asks me._

_I look at him like he just grew a second head._

_"What? You know. Since he got hi-"_

_"That's not what I meant. I knew that, but I didn't know you guys were... together."_

_He says the word like it was acid, and it was burning his throat on the way out of his mouth._

_"Since he came back to District Twelve. Something you still haven't done."_

_"I can't go back. Not yet, maybe not ever. I've got nothing there anyway. Why go back?"_

_I shake my head at him._

_"You've always been so dense. You have old memories. Good times, hell, you still have a life there, no matter what you say."_

_"What life? Practically everyone there was wiped out, my home is gone. Why go back?" He asked me again._

_"One day, when you have kids, you just gonna not talk about District Twelve? You just gonna ignore your past, try to forget your memories there?" No matter how hard I tried for it not to__, my voice still cracked._

_Dammit._

_"I just wanna move on."_

_"You can't move on without confronting the past! Everyday you're always going to remember District Twelve, and you know it, so stop trying to act like you just wanna 'move on' and 'forget the bad times'! You and I both know damn well why you don't wanna go back!" I yell at him. He can keep trying to avoid it, but I know the truth. Even though it's gotten harder, I can still read him. He doesn't want to see me with Peeta._

_"It's too hard!"_

_"Hard?!" I scream at him. "Hard?! You don't know hard! You think facing a girl, who you never even loved, you just thought you did, loving someone else is hard?! HA! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. I faced my DEAD sister, who I loved more than anything in the WORLD! I faced the betrayal of my mother, my only living family! She left me because she couldn't handle it! She was so weak! And for a person who acts like they're all tough, you're actually weak! Your family is alive! Is mine? If I can face that, you damn sure can face your shit. Or can you?" I'm so fed up with him. He needs to move on. One second he's all, 'oh I'm over you'! Then, he's, 'wait, never mind'! I just can handle it anymore._

_Tears start to form in my eyes._

_He glares at me._

_"I'm not weak."_

_I laugh bitterly at him with no humor._

_"Oh, then what are you? 'cause you're sure as hell not my friend."_

_Gale looked like I just slapped him, which I really want to._

_"Oh, is it because you've already got someone else? You don't need me now?"_

_Once his voice cracks, I know how he feels. He feels like I've replaced him, when I haven't. No one could really be to me what Gale is... or was. No one was ever really there when I needed to escape. To just get away from everyone and forget my troubles. Sure, he was a good friend, but when it came to emotions, he was never there. That was kind of the reason our friendship was rocky. He was jealous because Peeta could comfort me. Peeta was my lifeline. The person who I could go to for any reason. Even though he didn't like Gale, he still gave me honest advice while talking to him. Gale just tried to avoid Peeta every time we talked, and he wasn't good for a shoulder to cry on. Even though I hate crying, I seem to need to sometimes, as begrudging as it is._

_"Oh, Gale." I put my hand on his cheek. "No one could ever be to me what you were. What you could be. But we both know any type of friendship would never work. You'd always want more."_

_He looked down. "Yeah. So does this mean you don't wanna see me anymore?"_

_"You know I do. You also know what this means. We can stand being in a room with each other, we might even catch up every now or then, but we'll never really be friends. I'm sorry." A tear slipped down my cheek._

_"No, this needs to happen. I'm sorry I couldn't be what you needed. I'll try to be happy for you. But I'll never forget."_

_Then he was gone before I could reply._

I sigh and sit in one of the chairs in the front row. The seats are arranged in rows, so it's like a rectangle.

After waiting a few minutes, Enobaria comes in and sits next to me, and Johanna go over and sits next to her.

I smile.

I feel eyes on me, and look back unsurprisingly to find Gale's eyes on me. He's looking at me and frowning, so I hold his gaze for a few seconds before he looks away.

I run my fingers along my braid, which I really should have brushed more, but whatever. We're all friends here, right?

After a few killing minutes, a man walks in. He looks in his late twenties, with brown hair, and the weirdest glasses on. They looked like steam-punk goggles mixed with swimming goggles. He was wearing a brown winter coat with black pants...? Didn't he know Winter passed already? He sat down in a chair in the front of the room, and introduced himself as Leon Hymer, pronounced like high- merr.

After just staring at us for a couple minutes, which I found creepy, he finally said something.

"I am here on behalf of some of out top investigators. I will be questioning you until you are free to go."

The way he said that made it seem like he was holding us captive.

He started asking us simple questions, like our names (like he really needed to ask), our ages, our relationship status (was that really necessary), and that's when things started to get weird.

"Have any of you ever reproduced before?"

I blushed, and I know Peeta did too.

"What?" I ask.

"Have you tried to repro-"

"I heard what you said," I cut him off. "I mean... why do you need to know?"

He sighed. "It is required for me to ask."

"What does that have anything to do with the president missing?"

"Just answer, please."

We went down the rows, and everyone answered. I blushed the whole time.

Everyone there said yes, not to my surprise.

When he got to Peeta and me, since we were second last, Johanna held up her finger and jumped up.

"Oh! I can tell you that! I remember when we were on the train, and I heard weird nois-"

I cut Johanna off by tackling her. I put my hand over her mouth as a sat on her.

"Yes, ok? Yes."

I got off of her, and noticed smiles around the room. Enobaria was watching us with raised eyebrows, barely containing her laughter. Annie was giggling. Only one person wasn't smiling.

Gale had a stone face on, but I still saw hurt, and shock in his eyes. How I could still hurt him without even meaning to, I don't know.

I walked back to my chair in time to see Peeta blush again and say yes.

Leon asked us to name every person we've ever... tried to _reproduce_ with next. some of the victors looked sick and started to tell him to take back the question. He refused, and I quickly realized that Johanna was about to blow up, so I jumped up.

"No means no, ok? You don't know what they've been through, and they can't name everyone, so please respect our wishes and shut up. Please."

He quickly moved on.

"Were any of you virgins before the kidnapping of the president?"

Everyone replied with no.

"Did anyone here today try for reproduction before coming here?"

There were some stutters and lots of blushes, but some of Paylor's assistants said yes.

When he came to me, I told him no.

"Are you sure?" He questioned me. "Your hair is in quite the state, and your clothes are wrinkled. He looks the same. It looks almost as if you did it in the car."

I blush and realize why he thinks that. I forgot what happened in the car.

"Oh, no. We didn't- no. We just-"

"Oh my gosh Katniss." Peeta rolls his eyes at me. "Just tell him."

I glare at him.

Okay. He thinks he's so high and mighty. I'll show him.

I smirk evilly and swallow down my embarrassment.

"Oh, no. We didn't do what you though. We just made out. Pretty heatedly, I might add. We actually came pretty close to-"

"Katniss!" Peeta blushed so hard I swear he looked like a red apple with a wig on.

"What? You said to just tell him. So I did what you asked." I blink at him innocently.

"What am I gonna do with you," He mutters, while shaking his head.

The questioning takes a regular turn, (thank goodness) and when we leave, Gale catches my arm before we can get out of there.

"Can- can we talk?" He asks.

I sigh and kiss Peeta on the cheek.

"I'll be out in a minute."

When everyone leaves, Gale sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

I cross my arms over my chest calmly. "Well?"

"Well what?"

I roll my eyes.

"What did you want to talk about."

"Oh, that." He sighs again. "I- I just wanted you to know I'm going back to two. But I'm gonna visit twelve again soon. I took in what you said, and I'll be ready soon."

"That's great!" I tell him, and I mean it.

"If- when I get there, will you talk to me?"

I laugh at the craziness of it.

"Of course! We might be on our way again, Gale. Just don't do anything stupid like kiss me, and we might become friends some day."

He smiles and hugs me. I guess I've pretty much forgiven him for what he's done.

"I guess this is goodbye." I say when he lets go.

"Nah, with this missing president thing, we won't be leaving for awhile. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah," I say. "Maybe."

We both turn and walk out.

I lace my fingers through Peeta's and we walk to the car. The rain is gone, and the sun is shining, with a double rainbow.

"Wow..." Peeta mumbles.

I laugh. Today seems to be taking a turn for the better.

* * *

**A/N**** There you have it, all three thousand and something words of it. The chapters are gonna start getting longer, even if by a bit, because more things are going to happen soon. Now, for our summary, which I forgot to write for the last on, oops!**

**Katniss wishes she woke up like Snow White, while Johanna knows never to be sitting near them again. Peeta gets what's coming to him, and a ten minute make out. Effie is serious about people's hair, while Gale gets told off and realizes his mistakes. He's making an effort to change, and he and Katniss could very well become friends again. Until next time!**

** .ox out! Lol, I changed my username again, btw. I hope to write some PJO or HOO stories in the future, so I think this name suited me. Let me know how you feel about this chapter! **

**Also, thank you _Jadena_ for reviewing, there's gonna be a lot of plot coming for you!**


	20. Nervous Guards and Weird dreams

**A/N H- Hi guys! *Hides in closet while followers carry pitchforks and torches looking for me.* Sure- Sure has been awhile, eh? Two months goes by like nothing! I guess I can blame my lazy butt for that. And writer's block. *Followers point at me. "There she is!* Uhmm, erm, uhhh, better late than never? Forgive and forget, right guys? *Followers start running at me with incredible speed* Everyone makes mistakes? *Starts running and hides in a random dumpster* Sorry! Btw, the anniversary for this story is on the 23rd, so I was hoping to get another chapter up by then for you guys! Cuz you're all the best!  
**

**Katniss**

After leaving the questioning, as soon as we got home, I plopped on the couch and Johanna sat next to me.

We flip through channels, trying to find something interesting to watch. It's all rebuilding videos and boring speeches. We flip through more channels until we find this horrible soap opera about this girl who's in love with this guy, but their parents get married and they can't be together. Me and Johanna snicker at it, and decide to watch it. We have nothing better to do, anyway.

_"You know we can't be together! What will mother and father think?" _The girl says while crying.

_"You know I don't care. Damn what they say! We shouldn't try to make them happy. We should make us happy!" _The guy responds.

_"Oh, father will kill me if he finds out. We can only be together on way... I'm sure we'll both go to heaven!"_

The guy stares at her blankly. I don't blame him._ "That's... that's crazy! I love you, but what will our family say? What will they think?"_

"No! José, I thought you didn't care what they thought!" Johanna yells

_"*gasp* How could you? I thought you loved me!"_

_"I do. You know I do. But I also... I also love Rosie!"_

We both gasp.

"How could you!" I yell.

"You stupid two timing pig!" Johanna screams.

_"R- Rosie? My sister? But... How... How could you?"_

_"I'm sorry! But I met her one day, and I couldn't deny that she was beautiful. She is prettier than you."_

_"But... But we're twins!"_

"Are you serious!" I yell. "He couldn't have dated her cousin or something?"

_"I'm sorry. But she's still prettier. Just remember, I'll always love you."_

He touches her cheek and walks away. I resist the urge to cry. What the hell is wrong with me? Stupid Capital dramas. Then I look over at Johanna and see her holding it back too.

The girl starts to cry, when another guy who looks just like the other one comes up the her.

_"J- Josh?"_

_"Yes." _Josh says. _My twin brother has been a jerk. I'll show you a nice time."_

They skip off into the sunset holding hands, and then it ends.

Johanna and I start ranting about how stupid it was. How the guy was a fool, and the girl was over dramatic. That's how Peeta finds us half an hour later.

"What the hell?"

Johanna and I pull ourselves together.

"What do you want?" Johanna asks.

"Haymitch c- called you guys so he can talk to us about the p- president," Peeta says, doing a horrible job of trying to hold back his laughter.

I throw a pillow at his head and go to the dining room.

After all of us sit down, Haymitch comes in.

Since when did the dining room become our meeting place? There's food here, so I guess I can't complain.

"Okay, you're all here. Let's get down to business. As you know, or, as Katniss and Peeta guessed, the president's guards are now number on on our list of suspects. We all have an, let's be honest, interrogation with them today. Since we're ex- victors or whatever, we're kinda known to be scary. So pour on the scariness because we leave in an hour."

I sigh. Another questioning. At least this time we're asking the questions, even though that isn't much better.

We all leave. I don't feel like doing much of anything, so I just go to my room to get some sleep before we leave.

It feels like I've just closed my eyes when Peeta wakes me up, telling me it's time to go

I rub the sleep out of my eyes.

"Any way I can avoid this?"

He looks at me, apologetically.

"Sorry, but no. If we want to find the president, this is the only way to do it."

I roll my eyes, but get out of bed and take his hand anyway.

I went to one questioning just to go to another.

We meet up in the living room.

After a few minuted of waiting, I can't stand it anymore.

"Where's Haymitch?" I ask.

Peeta shrugs. "I don't know I think I heard him on the phone earlier."

I nod my head, and look at him.

He looks really cute with his cotton, blue collared shirt, and dark jeans. his blonde hair was a bit messy, and his blue eyes were sparkling. It struck me again how handsome he is. Of course, I can't tell him that. It would just flare up his ego more.

I reached up and kissed him, and he kissed me back. Just when I felt his tongue on my bottom lip, Johanna cleared her throat.

"Hello? I'm right here."

I roll my eyes, but give him a small peck on the lips, and take his hand again.

Haymitch walks in a few minutes later. "Let's go."

Johanna mutters something about him being late and not having to witness us kissing.

After Johanna, Peeta, Haymitch, and I shuffle into the car, I put my head against the window and look out it. There are a lot of people waling down the streets these days. I've noticed how the Capitol people don't dress as extravagantly these days. They can't really afford all the expenses since the war. They need all the money they can spare for rebuilding. They're supplying the Districts too, since the Districts don't exactly have money to use.

The ride was silent, except for a few sighs.

We park in a big parking lot, except it has no cars in it. There is no building anywhere, as far as I can see.

"Um, why are we in an empty parking lot with no building?" I decide to ask.

Haymitch gets out of the car.

"We're dealing with possible suspects. We can't exactly question them out in the open, where they can easily escape. So, with a little Capitol magic, we have this place."

We walk up the a random spot, where two guys dressed in black suits with black shades on are standing. Haymitch hands one of them a card, and after looking at it, the guy presses a spot next to him, which is just air.

To my surprise, he air shimmers, like when you skip a stone in the water. After a few seconds of shimmering, a building pops into view. It's a medium sized dark down building, about two stories tall, with no windows, and no door visible.

Despite the fact that there's no door, one of the guys guides us to a spot on the wall, touches it, and a door appears after shimmering.

I need this type of technology. Maybe then Peeta will stop drinking all my hot chocolate.

The guy leads us through a long hallway with a lot of doors and stops at the door at the end of the hallways. He pushes it open, makes a 'go in' hand gesture, and stands outside the door.

We all head in, and the door closes behind us.

The room is small, with bare, grey walls, no windows, and pretty much nothing in the room except about ten people sitting in chairs. Beetee and Enobaria are already standing off to the side, so we go and join them.

Enobaria nods her head at us, and Beetee merely smiles at us.

The door opens again, and -ugh- Plutarch Heavensbee walks in.

"Alright!" He claps his hands together, and it echos throughout the quiet room. I really wish there are windows, so I can jump out of them and run back to my room. I consider the door, but it isn't there anymore. I don't want to try my chances in case the door only opens with a certain person's touch.

"We'll just be asking a few questions, nothing too serious, and no, we will not be torturing you. Haymitch is just very dramatic."

Said man just rolls his eyes.

"So, let's start, shall we?"

We start by asking a simple question, and have everyone answer it. It started out fine. We just asked questions like, "How old are you?" and "When did you get your job?" Then it started to get a little crazy when we started asking serious questions

"Were you on duty the day of the kidnapping?" Plutarch asks.

The first guy on the row squirmed in his seat, and says, "No."

I didn't believe that, I don't know how anyone possibly could. It was a pretty obvious lie.

Plutarch raises his eyebrow.

"Really? Why do you look so nervous?"

The guy stutters out a, "N- No! I meant I was on duty, but not at the time of the event!"

Plutarch nods. "Okay. But I didn't ask that. I asked if you were on duty that day."

The guy nods his head.

"Okay."

He goes down the line, and it's full of stutters and obvious lies. One girl even starts sweating.

"Next question. If you were on guard at that time, were you inside or outside of the room?"

The first guy starts squirming again. "No! I mean yes! Wait, no! I wasn't there, so no!"

Plutarch raises his eyebrow again, and continues.

It goes like that through the next few questions, and then we get to the part where we can ask out own questions

Before anyone else could say anything, Johanna stepped forward.

"Okay, which one of you little rats did it?"

I roll my eyes. Really, Johanna? Like they'd admit it if it were them.

They all stutter out some pitiful no.

Honestly, I don't think any of them did it. They all seem nervous, like they had no plan before they came. If one of them really did it, they would have a plan on what to say when asked. They could pretty much guess what we were going to ask, so they could've easily planned for it. They all seem a bit scared, as if someone might come in and kill them. Almost like their hiding something, except it doesn't directly have to do with the president.

After coming up with that thought, I decide to put an end to their misery. Johanna had threatened them if they didn't tell her.

"Wait," I tell her. She didn't seem happy about it, but she stops. "Okay. I know none of you directly stole the president, but I do know you're hiding something. So spill. Anything that can help us."

They all look at each other.

The first guy speaks up.

"Well, that's true. None of us took the president, even though some of us were there during the time it happened. I wasn't there, but Jeane was, so she can tell you better than I can."

He points to a tall woman with shoulder length brown hair, and dark brown eyes.

"I was on duty inside of the bedroom at the time it happened. But someone, I have no idea who they were, what gender, anything, told us to get out. They threatened to release bad secrets, and tell everyone that we kidnapped the president and they stopped us. So we had no choice but to leave. They might've slipped something into the president's drink, because there is no way she wouldn't wake up while that happened. Her reflexes are great."

I look at the others, and I know we were all thinking the same thing

_She's not lying._

I nod my head at her, and look at everyone else.

"Anything to add?"

One guy speaks up.

"I got a glimpse of the person who ordered us out. He was a guy, definitely, and average size, I'm pretty sure I saw black hair, but it could have just been the shadows. I think it was brown, or maybe even blonde. I don't know, it was dark."

I smile a bit at him.

"Thanks. Anything else?"

Everyone shakes their heads, with no squirming or over shaking. They seemed relaxed now, like they just got a huge weight off their chest.

"Well, if that's all, we'll be leaving now." Johanna says, and we all file towards the door. Plutarch knocks on it three times, and it opens.

The guy who led us in takes us back out. Beetee and Enobaria, after saying their farewells, went in another car.

We go back into ours, and ride back towards the Training Center.

I didn't realize it was getting kind of dark out, and the bright lights and colored building were starting to stand out. It would've looked beautiful to me if I didn't know the darkness hiding behind the pretty colors.

As soon as we got back, I went straight to my room and fell asleep. This time, I wasn't so lucky. The dreams found me.

_I was in a dark room. The walls were black, the floor was black, everything in sight was black. There was a black couch on the far wall, with someone sitting on it._

_They turned to look at me. It was a boy, but I couldn't see anything except his face. He was wearing a long, black cloak that covered him. He had bright gold eyes, and he looked about fifteen. His eyebrows were covered by the cloak, so I couldn't see their color._

_"Oh," He smiled creepily. "It's you, whoever you happen to be. Well, welcome! This is my home, I'll give you a tour. This is kitchen, this is the living room, this is the bedroom, this is the bathroom, oh, silly me! This room is everything I need it to be. I just click this button, and bam!" _

_He pressed a button on the wall, and the room changed to a kitchen. The room was still the same color and shape, except the couch was gone, replaced with counters, a stove, and other kitchen items._

_He pressed it again, and the room changed to a living room, then a bedroom, and a bathroom._

_"Well, there are other rooms, but those are secrets! Can't tell you about those!" He exclaimed happily, changing the room back into the one with the one couch, and sitting on it again._

_"Tell me about yourself."_

_I tried to speak, but no sound came out._

_"Okay, then."_

_"Now tell me," He started again, "what brings you here? You here for the party? I don't know why. I'm not having a party! Maybe you want to know my secrets. Well, there are a lot of them. Hmm, why don't I tell you a bit about me, since you won't tell be about yours. I'm from the districts, but I've been in the Capitol for a couple weeks. Great food, horrible people. Man, I remember this one time when I went to the store here on discount day- man, I left with half my head shaved off. But anyway, I'm very handsome, if I do say so myself, and I do!" He sounded crazy now. "My parents both died a couple years ago, and my brothers don't care abut me! Anyway, someone found me and started taking care of me. Then the war came, and now they don't have time for me! They left without warning, and now I'm alone. But it's okay! It's all good!" His voice had become high pitched, and he was smiling and laughing like he was having a good time. He looked really insane. "I don't care! But know, they'll pay! No, not with money, well, I could... but no! That's not why I'm here. Such fun! All the possibilities!"_

_There was a banging sound on the wall._

_His smiled turned creepy again, and his voice went down to a normal pitch._

_"Oh, well! That's my cue! Goodbye!" _

_He swiped his hand, and everything turned dark._

I sat up, gasping. What was that? Who was that? Why was he talking to me like he knew I was there, but he didn't know who I was? I've never had a dream that weird. People dying, yes, but not insane high- pitched boys talking to me. I wonder how Peeta would feel about it. I almost giggle, which only Peeta can get me to do, at the thought

I shake my head, and look to the other side of the bed. Peeta is lying on his back, with his hands folded on his stomach, looking at me worriedly.

"Bad dream?"

I don't know what to say.

"Not really. Just a... really weird dream. Did I wake you up?"

He shakes his head.

"No. I've been awake for awhile. Couldn't sleep."

I nod my head, then smile.

"Come here."

I scoot closer to him, and snuggle against his side, putting my head under his chin.

He starts playing with my hair for a few minutes, and I fell into a dreamless sleep thinking about how weird my dream was.

* * *

**A/N**** So, summary, here we go! Katniss and Johanna secretly like Capitol dramas. Jose, how could you! Haymitch is so over dramatic, the Capitol has gone broke, Plutarch comes back and Katniss considers the window, and the guards get nervous! Johanna really wants to leave, and Katniss becomes the levelheaded one. Some random, but not so random, kid shows up in Katniss' dream, and the OTP cuddles at night! See yah next time, hopefully in three days!**


	21. Another weird dream and information

**A/N Hello, my lovelies! So, as I promised, I'm back today! I had to go give my sister some of her stuff today, and she just so happens to live two hours away, so it is a little later than I woulld have liked to have posted it. To just so happens to be the anniversary of this story, so I'd like to thank all of my reviewers, followers, and favorites! You guys are the best I could ask for.  
**

**Katniss**

Effie comes in our room to wake us up. She says Haymitch called us all to the living room to discuss the questioning yesterday. She also says that Haymitch said no fooling around, and to get our butts to the living room now.

I roll my eyes and get up, while stretching and yawning. Then I realize I didn't change out of my clothes yesterday.

I don't feel like picking out a new outfit, so I just throw on some black pajama shorts and a black tank top. Then I take my hair out of my messy braid and brush it, leaving it down.

I look over to Peeta, and see him staring at me. I don't know why, so I raise and eyebrow.

"What?"

He smiles and shakes his head at me.

"Nothing. You just look really beautiful. And I love it when you wear your hair down."

I roll my eyes but smile at him anyway. Leave it to Peeta to make some sappy comment when I haven't even been up for five minutes.

I walk out of the room and hear him follow behind me.

When I walk in the living room, I see everyone already sitting down and waiting for us. I blush a little bit and sit down next to Johanna, and Peeta sits next to me.

"Alright. Now that they've come, we can start. Our questioning yesterday was... not really a success, but we did find out some useful information." Haymitch looks at all of of us, then at me.

It's silent for a few seconds, and we all just look at him, waiting for him to start. Then I realize he wants me to tell them what we learned.

"Oh! Oh."

Johanna starts snickering, so I glare at her.

"Anyway," I continue. "The guards admitted that they didn't kidnap President Paylor directly, but some person came in and ordered them to leave. So, it's pretty much just common sense to guess that this mystery person had something to do with it. And we have no idea who they are, or what they look like."

Then I remember my dream yesterday. Did that possibly have something to do with the kidnapping? I decided it couldn't hurt to tell them.

"Well," I started. "I kind of had this dream last night."

Everyone looks at me.

I take a deep breath. "There was this kid, about fifteen or so, and he was in this room," I tell them about the dream.

Haymitch looks thoughtful for a second.

"A kid, you say?"

I nod.

"That technology- it's top secret Capitol technology. How the hell did he get it? If he has that type of technology, then he could also have the type of system that was used yesterday, at the questioning. And if that's the case, we could never find him. The place only becomes visible if the fingerprint installed touches it."

I'm not really sure how to feel about this.

"Well, he mentioned that he used to live in the Districts, but his parents died, and someone took care of him. The he said that whoever that someone is didn't have time for him anymore ever since the war, and he wanted revenge. There's a hint there, but we don't know what District he's from. He also said he's been in the Capitol for few weeks. I feel like there's something obvious in this information, but I just don't know what." I say.

Peeta looks at me. "Maybe you'll get the dream again tonight. Then you can get all the information you can and we can try to make sense of it."

"Okay."

Haymitch nods his head. "This could be useful information, or useless information. But he could also be apart of the group trying to take down the government. They don't have an official name. But in every government, there's a group trying to take it down. Take us, for an example. We were the group trying to take down the old government last time. Now there's this group, whoever they are. That's the obstacle in this. We don't know who they are, or where they are. We have a spy ready to go infiltrate their group. We just don't know where to send them."

I wonder who this spy is. Then I wonder if they have a spy.

Johanna seems to be thinking the same thing because she asks, "Wait. What if they have a spy, and they're using it to gather information? They know who we are, and where we go, so I'd be easy to just slip someone in here."

Haymitch considers this.

"Could be. But we don't let just anyone in the government. Paylor was a very well known commander back in eight. Her people knew her, and every district attempting to rebel sent messages through her. We know her well. But Coin," I cringe when he says her name. "Well, she was pretty secretive. With everything she did, she always had an interior motive that we didn't know about. Everyone on our government is well known. Not just anyone can get in."

We all take a moment to process this information.

"Is that all?" Effie asks.

I notice Haymitch smiles just a little bit, and I have to smile too.

I look at Peeta to see if he noticed, but he's just staring at me. He doesn't even look away when I look at him.

I laugh at the dreamy expression on his face.

"What?" He asks, snapping out of his trance.

"Nothing," I say, still laughing. "Just look at Haymitch and Effie."

He does what I said, and he starts to smile a little too.

"When did they even get together? Are they even together?" He whispers to me.

"I don't know. All I know is they look pretty happy."

Peeta smiles at me. "They do, don't they?" He pokes me in the stomach. "But how you would notice that, or care, seems suspicious."

I raise my eyebrow. "Suspicious how?"

"I thought you hated lovey dovey things like that.

I blush.

"See! You admitted it!"

I roll my eyes at him.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did t-"

I kiss him to shut him up.

When I pull away, I ask, "I didn't, right?"

He nods his head at me. "Yeah. You didn't."

I smile at him. I won.

He smiles lovingly back at me.

"You look so beautiful when you smile. You should do it more often."

I just smile bigger.

"You look so beautiful when you smile too. But you always smile, so that's great for me."

He looks down, looking shy. "Thanks."

I lift his chin up with my finger.

"Hey, look at me," He looks me in the eye, with his beautiful blue eyes. "You are very beautiful, Peeta. Don't forget it." He smiles at me and leans his forehead on mine.

"Thanks, Katniss."

Then he kisses me.

I kiss him for a few seconds, before I realize that we're in a public room.

I pull away and look around, only yo see Haymitch and Effie still talking, and Johanna who- knows- where.

I shrug and accept Peeta's kiss again.

After a few minutes, it starts getting a little heated, so I pull away and look to see what's going on.

Haymitch and Effie are now sitting on the same couch, still talking, and Johanna is still gone. I look at the clock, and it's about 12 O'clock. I realize I didn't have breakfast or lunch yet, so I decide to have brunch.

"Come on."

I lace my finger through Peeta's and drag him towards the dining room.

When we get there, I see that there's already food set out, and Johanna's sitting down eating.

"Oh," I say. "So this is where you went."

She looks up and nods.

"Yeah, well, it was getting awkward sitting next to you guys while you're sucking face."

I blush a little bit and sit down across from her.

I grab two sandwiches and some fruit, along with some buttered rolls -which are not as good as cheesebuns, by the way- and a glass of fruit juice.

We make small talk while we eat, and a few minutes later, Haymitch and Effie walked in, with smiles on their faces. They just sit down without saying anything, and begin eating.

I exchange a look with Johanna and Peeta, and then I give Peeta a knowing look, and he just pouts, and I have to laugh. That's when they notice our silence.

"What?" Haymitch.

"Nothing," I say, while giggling.

He narrows his eyes at me, but doesn't say anything else.

I high- five Peeta under the table and smirk at Johanna.

"So," I start. "Did you have fun in there?"

Johanna grins and catches on to what I'm doing.

"Yeah. You have fun in there alone? While we weren't there?"

Peeta catches on too. "Did you have a lot of fun alone? By yourselves? With out us children to interrupt you?"

Effie just looks so confused and Haymitch looks angry, so all three us us laugh.

"Did you two have fun in there?" Haymitch tries to throw back at us.

I look at Peeta.

"As a matter fact, we did. Thanks for your concern," Peeta tells him, while I just smirk.

Haymitch sighs, looking very annoyed, and Effie just looks even more confused.

We all just laugh again, and stand up.

"Well," Johanna says, "we'll just leave you guys to it!"

She leaves to go wherever, and I wave at them and go back to our room.

I get back in the bed, deciding it seems like a perfect time to sleep.

I vaguely hear Peeta com in and lie down next to me, so I turn round and rest my head on his chest, falling asleep with the thought of Hayffie.

_I was back in that room. This time, the room was modeled like a living room. There were two couches with rugs lying under them, with lamps and painting on the walls. The weird kid was sitting on one of the couches, looking at me as if he knew I was here, but he couldn't see me, and he didn't know who I was. He was wearing the same thing as last time._

_"Hello! It's you again, I see. Well," He looked thoughtful for a second, before it quickly turned back into a creepy grin. "I guess I don't really see you, but you know what I'm trying to say, or so I hope you do."_

_He waved his hand at the couch opposite of him._

_"Have a seat."_

_I couldn't move or talk, so I didn't know what he expected me to do._

_After waiting a few seconds of him blinking in my direction, he said, "Oh. I guess you can't really sit."_

_I resisted the urge to say, 'no shit'._

_"Well," He continued, "We'll move on nevertheless. Though I must change this room. It's too big to have only two people in it."_

_I guess he didn't realize the fact that every room is the same exact size, and I couldn't tell him, so I just watched him go over to the button on the wall and press it multiple times. I assumed he was going to change it to the room from last time, but he went right past it and kept clicking. I don't think he realized what he was doing until I saw a room with nothing in it except what looked like... a silhouette? It looked like an animal, maybe something else, but it was definitely odd._

_"Oops!" He shouted, in his weird high- pitch voice. "You're not supposed to see that! That's just... an old... friend, I should say."_

_The way he said friend led me to think they weren't really friends._

_"Here we go!" The room changed to the room I first expected him to change it to. The room with the one black couch._

_"I can't help but wonder how this technology works. You see, it allows me to send a message through a dream, but I don't know who the message is being sent to. How did I get this technology? Well, my friend hooked me up! They gave," He grinned evilly, "me all of this! Well, it may have taken a bit of convincing, but they relented soon enough!. Of course, I'm still trying to work out the kinks and find out how to use this stuff. One can not learn all of thy secrets in a day. That's a famous quote!"** (A/N Yeah... I just made that up, so don't expect to find anything about it online. Well, it could possibly exist, but I wouldn't know.)**_

_He waved his hands around the room. _

_"Just look at all of this technology! All of these systems, and secret files."_

_If I could say anything, I would mention the fact that there's nothing in the room but a couch and a crazy guy._

_He seems to realize what I must be thinking, because he puts his hands on his forehead._

_"Dear me! You mustn't have a clue to what I'm talking about! Well, let us just say there is a lot of things at work in this very room. You cannot see them, but that does not mean they are not there."_

_He starts laughing._

_"Oh, all of the things at work that you cannot see! All of the moves we're making... they won't be visible until it's all over! It's like playing chess against a chess master. You don't see their pattern until you've already lost! That's how I'll take over your foolish government! Everything you've ever loved... gone! Everything you fought for... demolished! Destroyed! Obliterated!"_

_'Okay!' I wanted to yell. 'We get it! You plan to do horrible things that will only happen in your dreams.'_

_There's a series of weird knocks on the door._

_His eyebrows furrow. _

_"That's peculiar. I don't remember that code..."_

_His face turns into pure alarm._

_"Oh no! They must have discovered me. But how? They cannot see my fortress!"_

_I resisted the urge to break the news. 'Dude, your fortress is just a bunch of square shaped rooms.'_

_Then his face relaxed._

_"Oh. Silly me! I forgot that I changed the code. Oh, I'm such an idiot sometimes!"_

_'Sometimes?' I said in my head._

_"Oh, well. Bye! Until the next time, which not not be for a while in the dreams, but mark my words, you will see me soon, whoever you are."_

_He slashed his hand through the air, and the image became darkness._

I woke up, only gasping a little. I didn't even sit up in bed this time.

I look around to see myself still snuggled against Peeta. I take a calming breath to, well, calm myself.

After a few minutes of gathering my bearings, I close my eyes and find myself in a restful sleep.

* * *

A/N Here's the summary! Peeta thinks Katniss is beautiful, and Katniss tells everyone about her dream. Haymitch knows a lot about Capitol technology, Paylor is still missing, Hayffie comes alive, and Katniss gets her dream again! Until the next time, which will be who knows how long. Hopefully before the new year!


	22. The start of the end of the peace

**A/N Hey, sorry for this late update. It'd been hectic, this new year. I already have two major projects for science and social studies, and my math teacher seems to think it's funny to throw information on us and leave us confused. But nevertheless, I am here now, and I do intend to finish this story, so don't you worry your pretty little heart. Even if it does take a while, I'll always eventually -emphasis on eventually- get the chapters out.**

**Katniss**

The next morning, Haymitch calls us all to the living room again. Apparently he's found out some information about the kidnapping, and he couldn't just tell us during lunch. Go figure.

I remember the dream I had yesterday, and I know something about it was off. What did he mean when he said that I would see him soon? In person? How would he know if I would see him if he didn't know who I was?

I shake my head, getting rid of the thought. I really don't need anymore confusing things going on right now. I have more than enough to worry about, and I don't need this kid stuck in my head too.

After shuffling to the living room, or second meeting place - I like the dining room better because there's food-, we wait for Haymitch to come in.

Johanna sighs angrily.

"If he's the one who called this meeting, why is he late?"

I nod my head. Can't he see that I have better things do, like sleep? And since I know I won't get that nightmare again, I can finally get some peaceful sleep again. But who's to say I won't get another nightmare? I really don't want to think about it, so I'm glad when Haymitch finally decides to show up.

He just sits down like he isn't half an hour late. I don't think he gets the hint, so Johanna finally takes it upon herself to glare at him. He either doesn't see, or ignores her because he starts talking.

"Before I talk about what information I've received, Katniss, did you get the dream again?"

I nod.

"It was definitely... weird. While he was switching rooms, I saw this silhouette of something. Looked like an animal, but it was definitely alive. Maybe just barely, but alive. Then he-"

"Silhouette!?" Johanna practically screamed at me.

"Um, yeah."

She waved her arms around like a crazy person. "Silhouette!"

I shifted confusedly on the couch.

"Yeah. It loo-"

"Maybe it was Paylor's! You said it was alive, right? And the guy was mysterious, and he stole classified Capitol technology!"

I pondered that.

"Hm. It could be. It was weird, though. He seemed a bit nervous about it, but he was being causal about it, like he had nothing to hide."

Haymitch nodded, taking it all in.

"He probably didn't want to seem to nervous about it. If we did, you definitely would've been able to tell something was up."

I bite my lip and continue. "He... He also mentioned something about a friend. He said a friend gave him the technology, but the way he said it made you think it wasn't really given to him. Like he stole it or blackmailed them into giving him it."

Haymitch shakes his head. "There's no way he stole it. Capitol security systems are top notch. He wouldn't have gotten past the first defense, and if he did, he definitely wouldn't have gotten any farther."

Effie finally pipes up.

"Well, Capitol security hasn't exactly been the same since the war. Systems have been down, break- ins have happened. Whole places have had to be secured. It seems very possible that someone could've gotten in. Especially if they're as experienced as this person seems to be."

You'd think this new piece of information would make things better, but it did quite the opposite. Now we know basically anyone skilled enough can get into the system, steal a couple things, and slide right back out. And the person we're dealing with is so skilled, they got in and out multiple times without even a hair of trace, and they have a secret mansion, _and _they're a kid!

"Well," I decide to continue, "He has secret files, invisible objects, and a plan mapped out. And at the end of the dream, he said something weird. He said... I wouldn't see him again in my dreams, but in person. How would he know I would see him if he doesn't know who I am?"

"He could be lying about not know who you are. Or lying about seeing you in real life," Peeta suggested.

Johanna pursed her eyebrows. "Why would he lie about not knowing her? Everyone knows her, and he would've made some reference to her and what she's done. And I don't think he was lying about seeing us. I think he means to say that everyone will see him soon, because what he said could only apply to that situation. I guess we'd better kick back while we can. I don't think we'll be safe for long. And I don't think a couple of doors will stop him from coming after us. Ex- Victors or not."

I knew what she said was true. I guess hoping for safety was too much to ask for.

Haymitch nods. "Well, I guess this goes along with my information. I've been informed that the Capitol has had many break- ins, and they have records of what has been stolen. They also had the technology to detect the invisible places, but-"

"Oh, don't tell me they _lost it_!" Johanna yells.

Haymitch scowls at her. "No. They... got it stolen."

"Same thing!" She throws her hands up.

"Well, actually, it's not. Losing something and getting it stolen are two different things. When you lose something, you don't know where it is, but it's near you. No one has it but you. When you get something stolen, it is nowhere in your possession and you do not have it. Someone else does." Peeta shrugs.

Johanna glares at him.

"This isn't time for an English lesson! This is serious!"

He raises an eyebrow.

"And English is not?"

"I swear to Paylor, Mellark-"

"Guys, really? Stop fighting! This is _not _the time!" I cut in.

"Oh, you think this is fighting? I'll show you fighting! Come over here, Me-"

"Haymitch, is that all?" I desperately ask him.

He shakes himself out of his stupor and nods. He was watching us like a ping- pong match.

"Okay then. Come one," I grab Peeta and Johanna by their arms. "I haven't had breakfast yet, and I know you two haven't either."

They both reluctantly follow me Into the dining room.

We sit down for breakfast and start eating. I look around the room as I chew on my pancakes. I still can't believe it hasn't even been a year since the end of the war. It hasn't even been half a year!

"How are we gonna catch this guy?" Johanna asks with her mouth full.

"It's actually 'going to'-"

"Mellark-"

"Peeta," I cut them both off. "Since when do you use or care about correct grammar?"

He shrugs. "I don't. But anything to prove Johanna wrong- I'll do."

I raise my eyebrow and smirk. "Anything?"

He opens his mouth, then shuts it just as quickly, while blushing. "Not _anything_! Gosh, Katniss... you used to be the pure one..."

I roll my eyes at that. "I was never pure, I just... didn't like seeing naked guys. It was weird. I was sixteen. Give me a break."

"Uh huh," Johanna looks at me, unbelievably.

I don't even bother to say anything.

"I mean," she decides to continue, "we all know that's not true _anymore_, seeming as what you do to-"

She stops talking once she sees my glare. Then she just sighs.

"Fine, fine. You can't deny it for long, Kitty- Kat."

I scowl at her.

Okay... It's alright, even kind of endearing, when Peeta calls me names like that, but not Johanna.

"Right back at you, June- Bug."

She shoots daggers at me with her eyes.

"Well played, Kitty."

I smirk at her.

"I'm only just getting started, Anna."

"Oh, you trickster..." She narrows her eyes at me and I laugh.

"Okay, I'm all out of names today. Check back in with me tomorrow and I swear I'll make you cringe with the amount of cheesiness in your nicknames."

She rolls her eyes. "Same as for you. Just less cheesy. More cliché, if anything."

I frown.

"Don't those mean the same thing?"

"I don't know. Ask Mr. Grammar over here."

We both look at Peeta.

He looks up from his smiley face he made with his syrup. "Huh?"

I smile and shake my head teasingly. "What are you, five?"

He puts a hand over his heart in mock offensiveness.

"Hey! I'll have you know, making smiley faces in your food is very manly, and I should know, seeing as I'm the manliest man of them all."

I snort and Johanna laughs.

"Ha, ha... whew. Yeah, right. If you're the manliest man of all time, then I'm Annie." She wheezes.

"Y- Yeah, and I'm Haymitch."

"What about me?" Haymitch walks in.

"He thinks he's the manliest man ever!" Johanna cracks up halfway through her sentence.

Haymitch looks at him worriedly.

"You alright, boy? Only someone very ill would think they're even manlier than me!"

Me and Johanna snicker.

"Oh, come on!" Peeta throws his hands up. "Really? You're not on my side? Man to man? Not even my girlfriend is on my side? That's cold, Kat."

I give him an apologizing smile.

"Sorry."

"Are you freaking kidding me! Oh, so he can call you Kat, but I can't even get away with Kitty?"

I scoff.

"Well, he's cute when he does it."

She looks offended.

"And I'm not? I'll have you know, I'm plentiful cute. I'm the cutest one in this room!"

I laugh.

"Ha! Yeah right. There's no _way_ you're cuter than me. I'm downright _adorable."_

I look pointedly at Peeta. When he doesn't say anything I glare at him.

His eyes widen. "Oh, oh! Yeah, you're totes more adorbs than Johanna Banana."

I blink.

"I have no idea what half of what you just said means." Johanna says. Then she pauses. "Wait... Johanna Banana? There's no _way_ I'm getting a name based off food!"

Peeta clears his throat.

"And what exactly is wrong with having a food based name? I happen to find it very interesting."

Johanna snorts. "Yeah. So everyone can go around shoving bananas in my face? I think not."

I roll my eyes. "You guys argue about the craziest things. It's a name. _Seriously?"_

Johanna sneers at me. "Yeah, okay, Katburger."

I stare at her.

"That literally makes no sense."

"Neither do you."

I raise a finger to protest, but shrug and lean back in my chair.

"True."

Everyone laughs, and I have to admit, I might have smiled a bit too. This is just how I liked it- everyone just laughing and getting along. I sighed and took it all in. I knew it wouldn't last for long.

* * *

**A/N**** I'll just jump right in! Katniss is having no more dreams, Haymitch is as late as ever. Hmm, wonder what he's doing. Effie has some information, the person they're up against is experienced, Peeta thinks he so manly, Johanna thinks she as cute as a button, and Katniss is now to be known as Katburger.**

**Till next time!**


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